Kopa's Legacy — Book I: The Coming Storm
by Incarnate Firefly
Summary: Set after the events of "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride". A young lion named Kopa encounters a runaway lioness with an important secret and must journey to the Pridelands to deliver the message, unaware of its connections to his forgotten past. Meanwhile, Vitani must confront the demons of her own past before she can accept herself as a Pridelander. [Readers' rating: 9.5/10]
1. Prologue

**[Author's Note]**

**This is my first Lion King fanfic, and I gotta say, it was quite enjoyable to write. I've been thinking about doing one for a while now, but it wasn't until recently that I really had a solid idea on what it would be about.**

**Kopa in particular had caught my interest as a character because he didn't appear in **_**The Lion King II: Simba's Pride**_**. And I've noticed that quite a few writers on this site have turned that discrepancy into an opportunity for a story (not to mention that 9 out of 10 of them like to pair him up with Vitani). For creativity reasons, I've avoided reading most of these stories until I've finished my own.**

**I am well aware that the common belief is that Zira had killed Kopa sometime between the events of the two films. And I had an interesting idea that sprung into my mind sometime over the summer…what if Kopa hadn't died? I can say for certain that I'm not the first to come up with this idea, but again, I've only read as far as the summaries in the Kopa stories so I don't end up accidentally ripping off anyone's ideas. One plot idea led to another, until now I've resolved to write out an entire 5-part story series on what became of Kopa and what he's doing after the second film.**

**The story you see below begins the first of the five stories. You don't have to favourite/follow me or this story, but I would appreciate any feedback or reviews so I'll know how to make the sequels even better. I've already finished planning all five stories, but there's always room for improvement.  
**

**Just an additional note, the majority of this story is written to establish characters and events for its upcoming four sequels. So even though Kopa might not have the most number of appearances, he's still for all intents and purposes the protagonist. Don't worry, he'll definitely be the central point in the sequels.**

**(By the way, to any authors who also wrote about Kopa, I promise I'll read your stories as soon as I finish posting book 5. If you tell me what you think of this story, I'll return the favour and review yours too.)**

* * *

Night was beginning to fall over the Serengeti when Siri caught sight of Mount Tempest. It was still a ways off, and she was quite exhausted since she had been out the entire day hunting with her party. The lionesses worked very hard to bring down no less than four different animals that had taken them many hours to find, and despite their exhaustion were very pleased with their work. It was slow progress, dragging the carcasses all the way across the plains, but Siri was heartened to see the small mountain that was her home coming into view.

The other lionesses were further behind, still carrying the kills. Siri was asked by Hamu, the leader of the hunting party, to run ahead and ask Malka to send a few other lions to help them bring in the carcasses. Not something they usually did, but they were a small pride and it was rare for a single hunting party to kill four animals, so Hamu and the others were finding themselves a bit burdened at the moment.

Siri quickened her pace when Mount Tempest came into view, but by the time she was nearing it, the sun had already gone down. She stopped when her keen senses caught the sickening smell of blood. It wasn't blood from any prey they had killed, and even so, Hamu's group was to bring in the first animals since two days ago. No, this blood was fresh, and even more ominous, it was mingled with the scent of lions. Was the pride forced to kill something that had threatened them here?

Or did the blood actually belong to lions?

Siri crouched low to the ground, moving through the tall grass without a sound. She reached the short stretch of flat, open rock that surrounded the mountains. The scent of blood was stronger here, but there was no sign of trouble. True, there weren't any lions outside at the moment, but the sky overhead was filled with the storm clouds that frequently passed over Mount Tempest and gave it its name, so she wasn't really surprised. All the same, why were all the openings sealed? Malka would never have ordered it, unless...

Siri grimaced, refusing to accept the possibility until she saw it. She stayed in the cover of the tall grass rather than risk exposing herself and sneaked around the perimeter of the mountain, eyes and ears not missing a single detail of her surroundings. It didn't take long for her to see them.

Two dozen unfamiliar lions, gathered closely around the mountain's back entrance and speaking in low voices. They didn't look very friendly, and some of them had blood smeared on their claws. Siri felt a spasm of dread. Where was her pride? And who were these lions?

Hesitantly, she edged closer to the strangers. Something was very wrong here. She had to find out what was going on before Hamu's party caught up and ran into trouble.

•••

"Have you figured out how to open the entrances yet, Kivuli?" growled Jeraha.

"Not yet," replied the lioness, Kivuli.

"Well, get a move on. Janga is getting impatient."

If Kivuli was intimidated by her companion's demeanour at all, she didn't show it. _It seems the only impatient one here is Jeraha himself, _she thought, turning her gaze from him to their leader, Janga, who was a medium-sized but sinewy lioness with dark brown fur and pitch-black fur lining the rims of her ears. Her irises were a gentle orange. She was somewhat younger than both Jeraha and Kivuli, but the three of them were the closest of friends and treated each other with the utmost respect.

_Well, mostly. _Jeraha's large and slightly barbaric figure reflected his brusque personality. Easily the largest and strongest lion among them, he had proven himself to be quite savage when he flew into a rage. His fur was a dull tan, and he had a dark crimson mane, almost the colour of blood. His eyes were the same colour as his mane, perhaps a touch lighter.

But it was Kivuli that usually caught the most stares between the three of them. Her fur was a dark sleek grey, almost black, her irises in contrast a glistening silver. Many of the others in the pride feared her by appearance alone, although the more sensible among them were more afraid of her cunning and unpredictable nature.

Janga, who was absently staring at the fang-shaped birthmark on her right paw, suddenly caught Kivuli's gaze and asked, "How many of our patrol have not yet returned?"

Kivuli had already counted the number of lions in their pride, and immediately answered, "Thirteen. Wivu thought she saw another one of Malka's hunting parties approaching and is tracking them down. And Taya is trying to figure out where Malka himself took his survivors. He won't be back until sunrise."

Janga growled, but it held a thoughtful tone rather than an angry one. "I'll send two other teams with him tomorrow. We need to make sure they don't interfere when we make our attack on Pride Rock."

Kivuli hesitated, debating whether or not to bring up her foremost concern with her leader. It had been nagging her for a while, but she decided that Janga was far too rational to resent her input, even if they were already far in the proceedings of their plan. "Janga, Malka and his followers may be heading to Pride Rock now that we've chased them away from this mountain."

Janga's ear twitched slightly, the only visible sign of her slight irritation. "I've already told everyone why we're here, Kivuli. These grasslands are the closest route to Pride Rock, and we had no way to pass without attracting Malka's attention anyway. We can't scale the surrounding mountains. It's a two-week trip across the Outlands, which, I'll add, has practically no food or water, and I refuse to weaken our forces right before we reach the Pridelands. And if we try to go around the Outlands, the herds will spot us and you know how quick word travels in the Pridelands. We would have wasted a lot of time only to have Simba's forces bearing down on us before we even catch sight of Pride Rock."

Janga had barely grown out of adolescence, but she was quite skilled and had easily gained the respect of their pride even when the three of them were growing up. Still, she was young, and had an irrepressible urge to remind everyone that she was capable and didn't make foolish decisions. Nonetheless, Kivuli waited until she was finished, even though she had indeed heard this explanation from the beginning. "I am aware of these facts, and I'm glad you've thought it all through." She was careful to slip in the encouraging words, knowing Janga was more clear-headed when she was confident. "But while I agree that there was no alternative, I think I have an idea, as...a precautionary measure, to make certain that Simba's pride doesn't learn about us before we make our attack."

"I'm listening."

For the hundredth time, Kivuli was thankful that her friend and leader was more reasonable than most would assume. The fact that Janga treated everyone in the pride fairly, and that she trusted others below her to offer insight was what made their pride strong. The possibility of dissention was practically nonexistent. "Instead of pursuing Malka's pride with sheer numbers, I can ensure that they won't be running to Simba."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Fujo," Kivuli said simply. The single word sparked a looking of comprehension in Janga's eyes, and the lioness leader grinned.

"Alright. Go."

Jeraha looked up abruptly and turned his head towards the direction of the grasslands. Kivuli heard it too, as did many other lions in the pride. Someone was coming.

It was Wivu, an older but sturdy lioness who leaped out of the tall blades of grass and gasped breathlessly, "We've trapped the last hunting party, but there's one missing."

"Are you sure?" Janga demanded.

"I counted myself. I tracked her...she's somewhere around here."

Thirty feet away, Siri dashed off, sprinting for the Pridelands as fast as possible. Jeraha was the first to react, leaping to his feet and giving chase. The six other lions and lionesses in his group quickly followed.

The lioness had to die. She had heard too much. Janga only hoped that Jeraha caught her before they reached Pride Rock. Her brutish friend was hardly the most gentle of creatures, and if a fight broke out between him and the Pridelanders, things could get ugly very quickly. But her concern wasn't with him, it was with someone less powerful and with lower chances of survival if it did come to a fight.

Her gaze returned to the birthmark on her paw. She had a habit of staring at it when she was deep in thought. _If you see anything, don't come running, mother. I need you to be alright after I take back Pride Rock from Simba._

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**In my **_**Kopa's Legacy**_** stories, I name my original characters by an appropriate Swahili word. So whenever I introduce a character, I'll write out the meaning of each name in English as accurately as I can at the end of each chapter.**

* * *

**[Original Character Names]**

**Siri:** Secret

**Janga:** Disaster

**Jeraha:** Wound

**Kivuli:** Shadow

**Fujo:** Aggressive

**Hamu:** Eager

**Wivu:** Jealousy**  
**

**Taya:** Jaws**  
**

**[Canon Character Names]**

**Malka:** Queen

**Simba:** Lion


	2. Kopa

"_Where in the world's the forgotten?_  
_They're lost inside your memory_  
_You're dragging on, your heart's been broken,_  
_As we all go down in history._

_Where in the world did the time go?_  
_It's where your spirit seems to roam_  
_Like losing faith to our abandon,_  
_Or an empty hallway from a broken home._

_Don't look away from the arms of a bad dream,  
Don't look away, sometimes you're better lost than to be seen."_

—Green Day

* * *

_Zira spotted Simba and Kovu heading for a decayed part of the Pridelands that had never quite regrown after Scar's reign, and quickly rallied the others. Quickly enough, the Outlanders closed in on the them, and by the time the king spotted them, it was too late to escape._

_"Why, Simba..." she chuckled._

_"Zira," he growled._

_"What are you doing here, and so...alone?"_

_The Outlanders moved to surround Simba, but Kovu still made no move to leave his side. In fact, he looked horrified._

_"Well done, Kovu," said Zira, not seeming to notice his dismay. "Just like we always planned."_

_It was a lie, and quite an obvious one at that, from the look on his face. But it was enough to make Simba turn on him, teeth bared. "You!"_

_"No!" Kovu protested. "I didn't have anything to do with this!"_

_"Attack!" Zira hissed._

_Nuka lunged first, but Simba easily knocked him aside. "No!" Kovu cried, both out of concern for his brother and the king that was now quite obviously in peril._

_A second lion tried to follow up on Nuka's failed attack but was also deflected. But Simba wasn't fast enough to stop two more from lunging simultaneously and biting into his mane and foreleg. While he struggled to throw them both off, Vitani took the opportunity to lunge and sink her teeth into his flank, digging her claws into his shoulder as well. She felt his muscles tense with pain as she tasted blood in her mouth, but she didn't let go. More Outlanders joined her in the attack and were swarming him._

_Kovu had snapped out of his shock, and was now actually trying to fight off his own allies. Although Vitani was caught up with trying to hold onto the thrashing Simba, she knew she had to do the one thing she never would do in any other situation; put him out of action before he did something stupid. Lashing out with one hind leg, she kicked her younger brother hard in the face, causing him to hit his head on a rock and knock him out for the time being. _Sorry, Kovu. It's for your own good.

_Zira didn't need to know what had happened. As far as she was concerned, he had done his job already. Now she wouldn't question his loyalty once the Pridelands were theirs again._

_Nuka had recovered and tackled Simba hard, dislodging Vitani and the three other lions and effectively sending the king tumbling off the cliff and into the gorge. He hit a stone pillar on the way down, landed hard with a grunt, and got up rather stiffly._

_As Vitani slid down the side off the cliff with Nuka and the others, she heard Zira's satisfied voice crowing, "Yes! We've got him!"_

_They had almost completed their deadly task. Deadly but necessary. Bolstered by the thought of how close they were, Vitani leapt at Simba, who was actually still able to dodge away, despite his injuries._

_"Remember your training as a unit!" Zira called, jumping down to join them._

_One lioness attempted to jump on Simba, but he threw her off almost immediately. He reached a dam of logs and branches at the edge of the gorge and began climbing frantically. The Outlanders halted momentarily as he dislodged several logs and sent them rolling down, nearly hitting them. He would be too far away to reach now—_

_Kovu had regained consciousness and was standing over the gorge, in a perfect position to attack Simba and send him crashing down to his doom. "Simba!" he cried, not in anger but concern._

_"Get him, Kovu! Get him!" Zira ordered._

_But instead, Kovu turned back, going around the dam to make his way down. To allow Simba to escape._

_"Wait!" Zira shouted. "No!"_

_Nuka leapt forward, climbing recklessly up the dam after Simba, disregarding his own safety. "I'll do it! For you, mother!" He caught up in five leaps. Turning his head back, he called excitedly, "Mother, are you watching?"_

_And in that moment, Vitani realized something too late._

_Nuka was dangerous. Not to Simba, or the Pridelanders; he wasn't strong, or fast, or _cruel_ enough to be. But years of being scorned and shunned had made him long to please the mother he was never good enough for, no matter what the cost. He didn't care what happened to Simba. He didn't care if Zira got her revenge for Scar. He didn't even care what happened to himself. He was going to keep trying to get her attention again and again until the effort killed him. And that made him a danger to himself._

Why didn't I see this coming?_ Vitani thought in despair. She silently begged her brother to come down before something happened to him, even though she knew he would never listen even if she screamed out her thoughts._

_Nuka managed to sink his claws into one of Simba's hind legs, stopping him from climbing any further. And for a moment, Vitani thought that the bumbling idiot had actually done it._

_And then there was a nasty cracking sound as the log beneath Nuka's paw gave way, sending him tumbling away from Simba while a second log rolled down the dam and crushed him._

_"No!" shouted Zira in a voice Vitani had never heard before. It wasn't condescending, or maniacal, or furious. It was a voice she had never heard her mother use with anyone before, least of all Nuka. It sounded like any parent would witnessing the impending death of their child, and one she had only heard from Simba the day that he lost—_

_Vitani was dimly aware that Simba had managed to climb up and out of the gorge, but right now she didn't care. Her eyes were fixated on the cloud of dust rising out of the mountain of logs that enclosed her brother._

_Kovu leaped down from out of nowhere and immediately started trying to pull apart the logs, but in his agitation only managed to make a mess. He was quickly pushed aside by Zira, and she managed to create enough of an opening to reveal Nuka, who was still mostly buried in the dam. He coughed painfully but feebly. What was visible of his body was horribly twisted, and the back of his head was bleeding heavily. Vitani already knew that it was too late for him._

_"Nuka," whispered Zira._

_"I'm sorry...mother..." he gasped. "I tried..."_

_She cradled his face in her paw, trying to comfort him. "Shh..."_

_Nuka gave a weak smile to the mother who finally showed her love for him. Then his eyes closed and his head fell limp._

_Vitani approached them, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. "Nuka..." _No...not Nuka too...I stayed for them...I stayed for _them_...him and...

_Kovu._

_She couldn't even look at him. She bowed her head in silent grief for her deceased brother. _Oh Kovu, why?

_"Scar...watch over my poor Nuka," Zira murmured. Then she turned to face Kovu and her face transformed. It filled with a rage Vitani had never seen before, and at that moment, she genuinely feared for Kovu's life._

_"You!" Zira roared. In a single bound, she was next to Kovu, and without the slightest hesitation, brought her claws across her son's face._

_"Agh!" The force of the blow caused his head to turn to the side. He turned back to face her, his expression filled with anger and defiance. And then Vitani saw it._

_A bloody red scar over his left eye, just like the one Scar had. And the way he was glaring at Zira, he looked positively murderous._

_Vitani saw her mother shrink back, and thought, _How did we come to this? We were Outlanders, yes, but we were a family. A ragtag, savage family, but we stuck together. And now...

_"What have you done?" Zira growled._

_For a moment, doubt crept into Kovu's demeanour. "I...I didn't mean to...it wasn't my fault, I..." Then he realized what she was saying. It was always someone else's fault, anyone's but hers. And now that there was no Nuka to blame, she went on to accuse him. The anger returned to his face in a flash, and he snarled, "I did nothing!"_

_"Exactly! And in doing so, you betrayed your pride. Betrayed Scar!"_

_But Kovu had just about enough with following his adopted father's broken legacy. "I want nothing more to do with him!"_

_"You cannot escape it." Zira advanced on him now, just like she always did to intimidate him as a cub. "Nuka is dead because of you!"_

_"No..."_

_"You've killed your own brother!"_

_"No!" Kovu was up in a flash, and Vitani wondered if for a moment he was actually going to strike their mother. She stiffened, unsure of who to side with if it came to a fight._

_But instead, he passed them and ran off. Where, she didn't know. She began to move forward to follow him, to talk sense into him. To do something instead of fighting amongst themselves. But Zira held out a restraining paw. "Let him go."_

What about Nuka? Can you let him go?_ Vitani was on the verge of saying the words when she saw that underneath Zira's ire, her eyes were still stricken with grief. _Kovu will be alright. But mother needs me now. Everything has gone so horribly wrong...

_Zira leaped onto a high rock. "Simba has hurt me for the last time. Now he has corrupted Kovu! Listen to me...Simba is injured and weak! Now is the time to attack! We will take his entire kingdom by force!"_

_The Outlanders began roaring, and Vitani joined them, feeling her anger erupt as it combined with her misery. It felt good to be angry, to have a desire for revenge, to want to hurt and kill. It pushed away her own anguish and gave her drive, even though a part of her knew that her anger was misdirected. But right now, she didn't particularly care. Nuka was dead, and someone was going to pay. She would make sure of it._

•••

Simba was having a nightmare. It was always the same one that haunted him, the one that would replay in his feverish mind every now and again at night. So why was it that it felt so real every time? He would be a prisoner of the visions until he woke up and realized, once again, that it was only a dream. He thrashed feebly, unaware that he was digging his claws into the stony floor of the cave.

_His father Mufasa was clinging onto the side of a gorge he was all too familiar with, where a stampede of wildebeest were charging across the wide crevice. Despite the dust they threw up from the ground, Simba could clearly see every single one of their crimson, pupiless eyes._

_"Simba!" Mufasa shouted. The older lion was still slipping, his claws scratching the walls in vain._

_"Hang on, father!" Simba called, trying not to panic as he reached out his right paw to his father. "Just a little further...come on..."_

_He felt someone grab his other paw. Startled, he looked up to see his mother, Sarabi, holding onto him. "I've got you!" she said. Her orange eyes were strained with desperation._

_He blinked in confusion. There was something not quite right about this. He felt as if he had been here before...except Sarabi shouldn't be here._

_"Simba, hurry!" she pleaded._

_Simba gave a start and turned his attention back to Mufasa, who was now almost out of his reach. Stretching out his paw as far as it could go, he firmly managed to grab his father by the paws._

_He suddenly realized that there were claws digging into his other paw. It wasn't painful, yet they were there and he still felt it all the same. He looked up again and saw that above him was no longer Sarabi, but a younger lioness, who had dark-brown fur but otherwise looked almost like her. The expression on the lioness' face, however, was much different. Those same orange eyes were now filled with contempt, and her teeth were bared in a way that Simba had never seen on Sarabi's face. Who was she?_

_Without warning, he felt Mufasa let go of him, and by some miracle, vaulted up on top of the gorge. Except this was not Mufasa anymore, but a light-gold male lion who looked not much younger than the lioness. _I know him, _Simba realized. But no name came to his mind, no memory to make a connection. The dark crimson eyes, however, gave him a startling resemblance to Mufasa, although his mane was pure brown without Mufasa's reddish hue._

_For a moment, Simba wondered if this was a younger version of his father. But there was actually something in this lion's face that reminded him of himself too..._

_Then the lion tackled the lioness off the side of the gorge, and they both fell out of sight into the mass of wildebeest. "No!" Simba cried, although he still couldn't recall who his rescuer was. He had to get down there, he had to find the young lion..._

Simba gave a gasp as he woke, breathing heavily as if he really had been in the gorge. But it quickly became apparent that he was in the cave behind Pride Rock. Its rough walls were steadily becoming brighter as the rising sun cast its first rays from over the distant horizon. _It's okay. It was only a dream. It doesn't mean anything..._

All was quiet in the cave. Nala, his mate, was still sleeping peacefully beside him. Next to the cave mouth was Kiara, his daughter, and her mate Kovu was beside her. His paw was clasped over hers, and their heads were nudging slightly. And close to the wall on the far end of the cave was Sarabi, slumbering alongside Sarafina, Nala's mother.

Simba stared at his mother for a moment, trying to recall the image of the strange lioness in the dream. It was the first time Sarabi had appeared in his nightmares, when it was usually his uncle Scar that had flung him to his death. Who was the lioness and what connection did she have to Scar...and Sarabi?

And the other lion...Simba felt something nagging in the back of his head. He knew that the lion was familiar, and yet he couldn't recall ever seeing him before. And yet he felt like he should recognize him. _Would my father know who he was? They look so alike..._

He suddenly realized that among the lionesses in the cave, Kovu's older sister Vitani was not with them. Simba silently stepped around the others still sleeping, and careful not to step on Kovu's paws as he passed him, exited the cave.

Vitani was crouched outside, looking across the Pride Lands from a low boulder. The sun was almost halfway visible now, and its rays were reflected in her wary blue eyes. She looked troubled.

"Good morning, Vitani," Simba said pleasantly as he approached her.

She immediately straightened at the sound of his voice. "Your Majesty."

Holding back a smile at her respectful formality, he said, "You're up early."

"I couldn't sleep, Your Majesty. I hope I didn't wake you up."

"Not at all. And you don't have to call me that. Call me Simba. We're family now."

The young lioness looked down, slumping her shoulders slightly. Too late, Simba realized the effect of his words. Vitani had been brought up hard by her vengeful and demented mother Zira, who had trained all her followers to fight to survive in the Outlands, sometimes literally, in the hopes that one day they would overthrow the Pridelanders and take Pride Rock as their own. Her own children were not exempt from the miserable treatment, and in the end, all that had been accomplished from the training was Zira's death as well as that of her eldest son, Nuka. Simba had decided to take in the surviving Outlanders when they turned their backs on Zira, and they were slowly learning to become a family again. Kovu had already bonded with Kiara, despite his difficult childhood and his mother's attempts to instill hatred in his heart.

But Vitani had never known how it felt to be genuinely loved by a parent, only used as a tool of destruction in an aimless attempt at revenge she had never wanted to be a part of. To her, "family" didn't represent what it meant to the Pridelanders, what it was supposed to mean to everyone. And in a way, Simba felt responsible.

_I did this to her. I banished Zira and her kind when Vitani had just learned to walk. I forced her to live under a cruel mother instead of a caring pride, to survive through self-preservation rather than unity, and to become a killer instead of a part of the Circle of Life. _Vitani was damaged, and he wasn't sure he would be able to fix the damage. Perhaps if she found a mate, like Kovu did, she would have the chance to be loved at last. But there were only two male lions currently at Pride Rock apart from Kovu and himself, and she showed no interest in either of them. Simba was sure Kovu would help his sister adjust to her new life here as best he could. Perhaps he could do his own part as well.

He padded over to Pride Rock and began making its way up the steep stone. "Follow me," he called.

"But Your Maj—Simba, I'm not allowed up there. Only the king and his—"

"It's alright," Simba insisted gently. "Come on."

Slowly, hesitantly, Vitani got to her feet and followed him to the peak of Pride Rock. The sun was now fully visible, although still very low on the horizon. The entire Pridelands were visible from their height, and it was all bathed in a light of golden-orange, save for the very long shadows cast by taller objects such as trees.

"Let me tell you something my father told me when I was a cub. Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance..."

•••

Tumaini awoke to find that he was alone. He was hardly surprised, since Kopa was an early riser and usually liked to head off for a morning run. He smiled, remembering when his friend used to wake him up and try to get him to accompany him. Tumaini had tried for a few days, but he found it tiring to run so early in the morning, and it didn't take long for stubbornness and his need to sleep more returned him to his usual routine. Kopa had kept trying at first, but eventually found Tumaini refused to open his eyes at all, and eventually gave up.

Tumaini yawned, standing up a little stiffly and climbing out from the gap in the kopje where they had been sleeping for the last two nights. He couldn't yet tell what time it was, but the birds were already out and chirping, and the sunlight was quite bright even through the canopy of trees above them, so it wasn't likely he woke up too early.

He was heading over to the river for a drink when he saw Kopa sitting at the edge of the water, his front paws in the water and his back turned to him. Next to him lay three large, glistening fish.

Grinning mischievously, Tumaini snuck up on his friend without a sound. He raised his paws and was just close enough to push him when Kopa swiftly turned around, one foreleg outstretched, and whacked Tumaini on the side of the face, not too hard but with enough force to send him plunging headfirst into the river.

He felt cold envelop his body as he plunged into the water. He frantically paddled so his head broke over the water, and he gasped for air and spat out water. Kopa was lying on his back laughing, and didn't see the mock-glare Tumaini shot him. "What was that for?" he asked, climbing out of the river and trying to shake his fur dry. He flicked a few drops of water at his amused friend, who didn't seem to care.

"You tell me," Kopa said, still grinning. "I already had a drink. Besides, I think you're awake now."

Tumaini wrung water out of his mane, only to have it drip down his sodden chest. "Yeah, thanks a lot. Aren't you supposed to be running?"

"You slept in later than usual, lazybones. I finished an hour ago. Are you in the mood for fish this morning?" Kopa picked up one of the dead fish by the tail and offered it to Tumaini.

He took it, looking it over with a frown. "What did you do to its face?"

"I crushed its skull after I pulled it out of the water."

"Well, that's charming," said Tumaini, licking a fleck of blood off the fish's flattened head.

"Better than letting it suffocate."

He sank his teeth into the soft flesh, careful to avoid the bones. "I think the fish would be more concerned about getting eaten."

Kopa shrugged, picking up a second fish. "I just don't like seeing it suffer, that's all."

The two friends finished their breakfast and headed off into the forest. Today they would be travelling farther east, and searching for another suitable place to live for the next little while. They had been in this forest for weeks now, and Tumaini was pretty sure they would be reaching its end soon. What lay after that, neither of them knew, but both were eager to find out.

He silently observed Kopa, marvelling, not for the first time, at how much the young lion had grown these last few years. Tumaini had first found him as a cub, drifting on his back in the river and unconscious. He had immediately pulled him out of the water and after making sure that he was alive, tried but failed to wake him up. Kopa looked rather frail and had a number of injuries, one of which was a rather nasty bump on his head.

Still an adolescent himself at the time, Tumaini had no idea how he was going to take care of the cub. But he had a bit of knowledge on treating injuries that involved more than licking off blood, so he did his best to clean Kopa's wounds, careful not to hurt him. He also tried to feed him, but the cub didn't open his eyes. Tumaini checked several times a day to make sure he was alive.

Not long afterward, he noticed that there was a pack of hyenas roaming the nearby area, and deciding that it would be safer for Kopa to leave, he brought him farther north, even beyond the mountains that spanned the border between the grasslands and the more barren, sinister Outlands.

It wasn't until Tumaini almost reached some massive marshes that Kopa woke up. He looked a little confused at first but otherwise seemed alright. He seemed to have lost his memory though, knowing nothing about who he was or what had happened to him. All he could remember was his own name.

And so the two of them lived alone in the grasslands at first, where Tumaini taught Kopa how to hunt and defend himself against animals. The cub was a quick learner, and grew fast too, and most importantly of all, became a reliable friend. And nothing mattered more to Tumaini than having someone he could trust and rely on, after what he himself had been through.

Of course, he had never told Kopa of his own history. Why he was alone and away from other lions. He didn't want his newfound friend to be ashamed of him, or even worse, abandon him because of his past. So when asked, Tumaini simply told him that he too had lost his memory through an accident he couldn't recall. They were to be two lions whose lives began with each other and didn't need anyone else. They were brothers.

Of course, Kopa eventually grew bored of living in the same place. A month ago, he had asked Tumaini if they could travel the Serengeti, because he wanted to see what the world was like beyond the stretch of forest he had lived for as long as he could remember. Feeling sympathetic and already having some knowledge of the different terrains in the area, Tumaini agreed, and they started travelling east. As long as they didn't head north, everything would be fine.

_No one else ever needs to know what I did. Especially not Kopa._

"We should be almost out of the forest now," said Tumaini cheerfully, to take his mind off his thoughts. "Once we reach the flatter parts of the savanna, we should be able to meet someone. Maybe even other lions."

"Do you really think so?" asked Kopa curiously. Even though he was now nearing full maturity, there were still a lot of places and animals he hadn't seen before, which made the question sound almost childish. Tumaini knew that his friend was fully capable of taking care of himself though, which was one reason he had finally agreed for him to travel the land.

"Oh, yeah. We might even find a pride."

"A pride," Kopa repeated, looking thoughtful.

"It's where a lot of lions live together. Kinda like us, except there are a lot more of them."

"I think I've heard the word before, but I can't remember where." Frowning, he looked at Tumaini. "Have you ever been in a pride before?"

_Yes, but that was another life. _"No," he said, then wincing as he realized how odd it sounded. Having knowledge of a pride without being in one? To cover up the lie, he added, "At least, not that I can remember. We both have the same problem, remember?" He tapped one claw against the side of his head.

Kopa looked thoughtful again, possibly contemplating the idea of living with a large group of lions. There was something almost like longing in his expression. "Tumaini...if we find a pride, do you think we can join them?"

"Err." Tumaini wasn't too keen on the idea. He intended on keeping his lifelong vow never to get close to an entire pride again. "Well, we'd need permission from the king of the pride. But I doubt it."

"Why?"

"Because each pride has one king and the rest are lionesses. The males go off and start their own prides."

Kopa looked slightly disappointed at this, and Tumaini hated to see him like that. "Don't worry, Kopa. If we meet a pride, you can still make a lot of new friends."

Just then, there was a rustling sound in the bushes in front of them. The two lions stopped and stared in silence at it, ready to attack or run if necessary. One of the things Tumaini had taught Kopa was not to confuse bravery with stupidity, and not to take risks with his life when he didn't need to. They both knew there were some animals residing in the area neither would enjoy having a fight with.

A dirty and exhausted-looking lioness stumbled out from the bushes. Her paws were bloodied and her eyes were half-closed.

"Help," gasped Siri, and collapsed before them.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**I've noticed in **_**The Lion King II: Simba's Pride**_** that the sun rises on the "left" side of Pride Rock (see the scene when Vitani is spying on Kovu and Simba), so I'm guessing that Pride Rock faces south. Since Mount Kilimanjaro is outside the Serengeti and straight east, and I'm assuming Pride Rock is within the Serengeti, it's most likely either west or south of it, or both. The forest Kopa and Tumaini were residing in are farther west in the Serengeti, with the Outlands being between them and a little further north. If you don't follow any of the directions, just ignore any mention of them and keep going with the story.**

* * *

**[Original Character Names]**

**Tumaini:** Hope

**[Canon Character Names]**

**Zira****:** Hate

**Kovu:** Scar

**Nuka:** Stink

**Vitani:** Demon of war

**Scar:** Scar (English)

**Mufasa:** King

**Sarabi:** Mirage

**Nala:** Prosperity

**Kiara:** Clarity (Latin)

**Sarafina:** Fiery (Latin)

**Kopa:** Heart


	3. Vitani

_At first, Vitani kept telling herself that she knew what she was doing. That Zira's training had no effect on her, that she could change her ways whenever she wanted. And most of all, that her aim was to bring her brothers home, but would take no pleasure in Simba's death as Zira would; it was simply a necessary step. But as month by month passed, the two objectives gradually began to blur together and she was gradually growing to accept the things that were imposed on her._

_As she grew from a cub into an adolescent, she found that she only hated the Outlands more and more. She and Kovu needed more food than ever to survive as their bodies grew drastically, and occasionally she would sneak into the Pridelands, kill a stray, and drag it back home. Every time she went, she was able to appreciate just how beautiful it was there, and wished she didn't have to go there with the fear of getting caught._

_She also resented Simba's decision to banish them somewhere they would die anyway. If he intended death for them, why force them to suffer through food and water shortages first? She thought it cruel, and even disgusting that he would act as the noble one by pretending to spare them from execution._

_Nuka only became more of a suck-up to Zira than ever, although she continued to ignore him as she always did. Vitani wasn't too worried about him though; it seemed like his enthusiasm was more of an effort to please his mother than actual vicious intent he had towards the Pridelanders. He could almost be considered harmless._

_Kovu, on the other hand, had grown into a dangerous creature who was trained to be the absolute best of the best. Vitani doubted that even Zira would be able to outmatch him in a fight. At first, she felt pangs of uneasiness at what her little brother had become. A very small part of her was bitter that she couldn't have prevented it from happening. But at the same time, she was grateful that he would survive even if the others didn't._

We're going to return to the Pridelands, not kill Simba's entire pride,_ she often told herself. _It'll be alright. We'll be able to hunt again. Nuka can even get those stupid termites off him at last. We'll be happy._ She tried to tell herself this as often as possible, although the part of her that hated herself for allowing Kovu to become a killer also told her that it wouldn't be alright. But she ignored it, trying to believe that only the best would come out of this. _Mother isn't the threat now. It's what Kovu does that'll decide the outcome of everything. And if things get out of paw, I'm still his sister. He'll listen to me...right?

•••

"Vitani, this is Mateka," said Simba, approaching Vitani with a young tan-coloured lioness. "I recall you two were friends before..." _Before I banished you to the Outlands._"...when you were cubs. Do you remember her?"

Mateka smiled at her, who in return nodded respectfully. Vitani suddenly felt rather awkward. Of course she remembered her! In the few months she had lived in the Pride Lands, Mateka had been her only friend, apart from—

_Kopa._

"Well, don't need to be so proper, Tani," Mateka laughed, her light brown eyes twinkling. "You look stiffer than Zazu."

"Right. Sorry." She still felt very awkward.

"I'll leave you two to talk," said Simba, walking off, but not before giving Mateka a look that said, _Do your best, okay?_

"So, how about we go for a walk?" the lioness asked.

"Okay."

As they walked down across the Pridelands, Vitani began to recall what she remembered about her friend. The other cubs had avoided her, mostly because they didn't like Zira. But she felt that her own truculent nature might have had something to do with it as well. But that never seemed to bother Mateka, who was able to get along with her very well despite the fact that the two of them were polar opposites. Her mother, Tama, hadn't approved of her playing with Vitani, but Tama was hardly friendly with most of the lions in the pride anyway.

_And then there's Kopa._ Vitani remembered him even more vividly. Even back then, she knew there was bad blood between their parents that went far beyond disapproval. But Kopa always managed to find time to play with her. He would even pick her over his other friends, and that was saying something since he had no shortage of them. He would have been nearing adulthood by now. _If he was still alive._

"You're awfully quiet," said Mateka, cutting into her thoughts.

"Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," the lioness said exasperatedly. "Is something on your mind?"

Vitani sighed, deciding to talk about something to take her mind off her lost friend. And Mateka was someone she could open up to. "I'm...having a hard time adjusting here."

Trouble was, she hadn't opened up to anyone in ages, and she was still trying to learn to trust the Pridelanders, even if one of them was her childhood friend. But Mateka's face was sympathetic.

"I know things might be...different right now, but you'll get used to it. And you can always tell me whatever's bugging you, Tani."

_You don't understand. You weren't there._ Vitani was grateful for the fact that her friend hadn't been present when Zira and Simba brought their followers together to fight each other. She had apparently been injured at the time after a rough hunt the previous day, and had stayed at Pride Rock. It was a small blessing, even if she didn't know it at the time. _You haven't seen what I've done._

It was no use. The battle reminded her of their banishment, and the banishment reminded her of what had caused it. No matter what, she just couldn't get him out of her head. Maybe she never would, as long as she was here in the Pridelands.

"Do you remember him?" Vitani asked suddenly.

"Remember who?"

Feeling like she could hardly say his name, she mumbled, "Kopa."

Mateka looked down, her posture entering a slump as her cheerfulness vanished completely. "Yeah."

Neither of them said anything for an entire minute. Vitani stared at a centipede leaping around a small cluster of rocks, unable to think of anything to say.

Finally, Mateka spoke. "Guess you never really let him go, huh? Even after you were sent to the Outlands."

Vitani nodded. Then she looked up. "I'm sorry. You must think I'm a real drag."

Her friend gave a hint of a smile at this. "Tani, I'll be your friend through the good and the bad. Like I said, you can always talk to me if something's weighing on your mind. But one thing I do want to know though, what happened to the feisty cub I knew?"

_A part of her died with mother and Nuka. And Kopa._ Vitani smiled back, even though she still felt far from happy. "You haven't changed a bit, Mateka." _Thanks for that, I guess. At least it gives me something of comfort to hold onto. _She decided it was time to fully reconnect with her friend. "I'll race you to the falls." It would be fun, and at the same time, something she was good at.

Mateka giggled. "You're on." She turned and immediately broke into a run.

"Hey, wait up!" called Vitani, running after her. "I don't even know where the falls are!"

"That's okay! You're going to be behind me the whole time anyway!"

Vitani laughed at that, feeling a bit better through the banter and the adrenaline of running through the grass. So her past wasn't easy. So maybe it would never escape her. But she would learn to forgive herself a little at a time. And right now, the small, simple things in her new life would help her let go, if only for the time being, and enjoy the moment with her friend.

•••

_He was standing in the middle of a grassy field. It looked almost like the grasslands he had run through occasionally, but here, it was...richer._

_He had been here before, he was sure of it. He had no idea where he was, but there was something comforting about it. He couldn't help but feel at home here._

_Someone was approaching him now. A lioness cub, not much older than him. He couldn't remember who she was, but despite her scruffy appearance (and personality to match), he felt happy to see her._

_But this time the scowl on her face was more pronounced than usual. She looked angry with him._

_"What's wrong?" he asked, faltering slightly._

_"I couldn't find you yesterday," the cub snapped._

_He didn't remember exactly what had happened yesterday, but he knew for certain that he hadn't been with her. "Sorry, it must have slipped my mind."_

_"You haven't talked to me for three days," she continued, glaring at him accusingly. "Are you avoiding me?" For a small creature, she sure looked scary._

_"No!" he protested. "I wouldn't do that!"_

_The cub started walking away. He hurried after her. "Hey, wait up!"_

_"They say you're always with that newborn now. Your sister."_

_"Hey, I'm sorry," he said. "But she's really cute. She hasn't even opened her eyes yet. You have a younger brother, right?" he added defensively. "You must have spent a lot of time with him when he was born."_

_She stopped trying to walk off. "No. Mother wouldn't let me anywhere near him until he could walk. Like she was afraid I would accidentally hurt him or something. That didn't stop her from showing him to Scar though. And he wasn't even his father...wasn't my father either, thank goodness..." she trailed off, looking rather bitter._

_"Who's Scar?" he asked curiously. The cub turned to look at him as if she had forgotten he was there._

_"It's not important," she sighed. "But mother was always chasing after him. Sometimes she acts like she doesn't even care about me, or Nuka." All the anger vanished from her demeanour and her shoulders slumped. She looked directly at him. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, but I don't like being ignored."_

_He looked down. "Yeah, I'm sorry too for leaving you like that. Let's go play now, I promise you'll see me tomorrow too."_

_She gave him a light shove. "You'd better be," she said with some of her usual spunk returning._

_As he accompanied his friend, he realized how lonely she was sometimes. Not that she would ever admit it, but she needed him there when her mother neglected her. Maybe he could bring her a friend tomorrow. Mateka was a nice cub..._

_A few days later, Scar's name came up again from a story told to him by an old mandrill who was a friend of his father's. He learned about all the terrible things he had done, and wondered what connection the lioness cub and her family had to the usurper. But it was small wonder that she sometimes seemed so miserable if her own mother was putting her aside in favour to someone like that..._

•••

Kopa slowly awoke with a yawn, blinking blearily and stretching as he got up. He remembered vaguely that he had a dream last night. And not the first one of its kind either; he had similar ones occasionally that dated all the way back to when Tumaini had first found him as a cub. As always, most of the details from the dreams would fade away, but one of the things that always stayed in his mind was the face of that lioness cub. He didn't even know her name.

To his surprise, he realized that Tumaini was awake before he was, tending to the injured lioness. Yesterday, they had carefully moved her somewhere out of sight and covered their tracks, and he had worked all afternoon and well into the evening so she could lie down comfortably. He began by taking care of the most serious wounds on her paws first before dealing with the smaller injuries and worrying about her appearance. But now she looked like she was in better condition than last night without all the blood and dirt matted in her fur, and Kopa got his first proper look at her.

She was pretty, no doubt about it. Having never seen an adult lioness before in his life (or what he could remember from it), he studied her with something like fascination. She didn't have a mane, and her face was more angular than that of a male's. Everything else about her features were very much feline, however. She looked younger than Tumaini, maybe just a bit older than himself.

"I'm a bit busy here," Tumaini said without looking up. "So why don't you see if you can catch something for Siri. Your morning run can wait a little, right?"

_Siri. Her name is Siri. _Kopa didn't seem to hear the rest of what he had said. He was studying her face, looking for similarities with the young lioness in his dream. Of course, he didn't think it was likely they were the same person, but he could still see the more distinguishing features between them. Still, it didn't help him figure out who she was...

"Kopa," the older lion said, a little sternly. Now he did look up. "Instead of staring at her, go find her something to eat. You're making her uncomfortable."

Kopa noticed that the lioness had noticed him and was indeed looking bemused. Slightly embarrassed, he nodded and ran off to hunt.

He returned half an hour later dragging a young gazelle. He placed the carcass in front of Siri, who smiled. "Thank you, Kopa."

Tumaini cleaned the last of her wounds just as she finished eating her fill. Looking her over one more time, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Better now. Thanks."

"You gave us a bit of a scare. Appearing out of nowhere and passing out for the whole day like that. Young Kopa here has never met a lioness before, so I apologize on his behalf." Tumaini flashed his friend a grin.

"It's nothing. I'm grateful to you both for helping me like this."

Tumaini's expression became serious. "Well, I'd be grateful if you could explain what's happened to you. You looked like you were running from something. We've hidden you pretty well for now, but I for one still want to know what's going on."

Siri sighed and looked down. "I've made a right mess of things, that's what. Running here like an idiot instead of finding Simba."

_Simba. _Kopa mulled the name over in his head. Just like the word "pride", he felt vaguely as if he had heard the word before. But he was just as clueless as to what it meant to him.

"But I was so scared," she continued. "I was being chased by a group of them, and another one appeared ahead of me, so I couldn't get past them. I had to run west, and I barely managed to get out of sight. They're still looking for me."

"Slow down there," Tumaini said gently. "Start from the beginning. Who was chasing you? Where were you going? And who's Simba?"

"I was out hunting with a party," the lioness said. "And...and we got four animals, more than we expected. So I was asked to run back and ask for help to bring them in. Except my pride leader wasn't there. No one was."

"And...then what happened?" Tumaini asked, since Kopa wasn't speaking.

"I saw a lot of lions gathered around our pride's home, and I...I could smell blood. They must have killed someone, but...I don't know who. I heard one of them...talking about how the others escaped and might be heading for Simba's pride. I also heard these lions were planning to make an attack on Simba. I knew I had to get to him, to warn him. That's when...this lioness joins them and says...that they...they found my hunting party..." Siri's voice dropped to a whisper, and her eyes became rather moist. "...and I just knew...there was no way they would survive...not against that many lions...the lioness was tracking me, and...and she knew I was nearby. So I ran." She stopped for a moment and gave a shuddering gasp. "They chased me...they had to make sure I wouldn't live. Another group cuts me off just before I reach the Pridelands...they...they almost trapped me, but I changed directions and I kept running. I could hear them...chasing me the whole night. I was so tired, but I couldn't stop. They're somewhere around here now. They're still trying to kill me." She sat up. "We have to get out of here. We have to get out of here and warn them."

"That's not going to happen," hissed a menacing voice.

Kopa, Tumaini, and Siri turned to see Jeraha and six other lions stepping out from the foliage and surrounding them.

•••

"Quietly now," murmured Nala. "We've almost reached them. Wait for my signal."

Kiara nodded in acknowledgement even though she knew her mother was speaking to everyone in the hunting party. The lionesses took their positions and soundlessly advanced on the antelope that were busy replenishing themselves on the plentiful grass that grew in tall stalks in the area.

Even though she was the youngest member of the party, she knew what she had to do. They had planned it before the hunt after finding the antelope had settled in the grasslands. She still had yet to catch and kill an animal to bring back to Pride Rock, but she felt confident that she could do it today. And so did Nala apparently, for she had tasked Kiara with being the one to make the kill.

She looked over the half dozen closest antelope and decided on an older, sturdier male. It would be a tricky task, but she couldn't quite bring herself to hunt the younger ones. It just seemed too heartless a thing to do, to bring down a creature who hadn't yet lived their life fully.

She couldn't see the rest of the hunting party, but knew it didn't matter. Nala would stir up the antelope and the others would herd a few of the slower ones. Since the old male was the closest to her (although still far enough for him to be a tricky catch if she was hunting alone), Kiara knew it was likely he would be one of the options. Once she was close enough, her predatory skills would do the rest. Simba would be proud—and so would Kovu.

Kiara smirked. Her mate was very fond of her, but he never seemed to think much of her hunting skills. She could already see the look on his face when she brought back the carcass. And she would make sure he knew who did it too. That'd show him.

Suddenly, silence fell over the grasslands. Not gradually, but all at once and so quickly it was ominous. The antelope stopped feeding and looked up simultaneously. Something was making them uneasy, and it couldn't be the hunting party they didn't even know about.

Kiara could feel it now too, an ominous rumbling in the ground beneath her paws. The earth was shaking, and now the antelope were all running in one direction. The birds in the nearby trees were flying away from the trees, and even in the distance, she could see other animals running as well. What was going on?

The lionesses were now emerging from cover and regrouping, the hunt forgotten. Many of them looked around apprehensively. Kiara quickly moved to join them. She was nervous too, but her mother would know what to do. It would be reassuring to stay close to her for the time being.

Nala turned her head just in time to see a wide crack appear in the earth beneath Kiara's paws, and claimed her daughter in the blink of an eye.

Kiara heard her mother cry her name before she felt her head hit something hard on the wall. She immediately blacked out, her unconscious body tumbling out of sight and into the darkness.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**I don't actually know if there are earthquakes in the Serengeti, but I need it as a plot device that will be crucial especially near the end. Also, I don't know a whole lot about earthquakes themselves. So if I misrepresented this or earthquakes in general, cut me some slack. This is a fictional story about talking lions, okay?**

* * *

**[Original Character Names]**

**Mateka:** Prisoner

**[Canon Character Names]**

**Zazu:** Movement (Hebrew)

**Tama:** Jewel


	4. Recollection in the Abyss

_When they were banished, Vitani thought that would have been the end of it. That she and her brothers and the other Outlanders would just live out their days in their new bleak home until starvation or disease claimed them. It was something she didn't have too much trouble accepting. After all, she knew she would never be happy in the Pridelands again._

_As the months passed by, she grew to dislike the other Outlanders. In their time of exile, they had grown uncontrolled and savage. Zira had easily established a sort of leadership over them, but mostly left them to themselves; they often liked to fight each other over scraps, or bones, or sometimes for no reason at all. Vitani avoided them as much as possible._

_Nuka hadn't settled long in the Outlands when he became a living termite nest. The irritating creatures just never left him alone. She could hear him scratching himself and muttering irritably when everyone else was sleeping. He would frequently wake up sleep-deprived and in a foul mood in the mornings. No one really sympathized with him, especially not Zira when she saw him taking his temper out on Kovu. Vitani tried her best to make Nuka feel better but didn't have much success._

_But Kovu was growing up strong. Zira made sure he always got most of whatever little food there was, even if she had to maim the others for it. Vitani hoped that their mother at least cared enough about him if no one else; likewise, she herself spent a lot of time tussling with her younger brother, trying to teach him to look out for himself while keeping on strong terms with him._

_But never had Vitani dreamed that Zira would one day strive to take back the Pridelands. She had come back one day with Kovu, apparently angered that he had wandered off on his own and bumped into Simba's daughter, Kiara. She immediately put the blame on Nuka, of course._

_"You were supposed to be watching him!"_

_"It's not his fault!" Kovu protested, looking a bit upset at the way she was talking to his brother. "I went off on my own!"_

_Zira immediately turned on him. "What were you doing?"_

_"Nothing!" Kovu began to back away, although she continued to advance on him._

_"Who has made us Outsiders?"_

_"Simba!"_

_"Who killed Scar?!"_

_He stumbled and fell back, still trying to shift away from his mother's glowering face. "Simba!"_

_"What have I told you about _them_?!" Kovu flinched as Zira spat the last word. It was as if she was venting all the animosity and frustration that had built up in her not just since their banishment, but since Scar's death._

_"I'm sorry, mother!" Then, he added defensively, "She...she didn't seem so bad. I thought we could be—"_

_"Friends?" Zira sneered. "You thought you'd get to the daughter, and Simba would welcome you with open arms? What an idea!" She rolled her eyes and began to walk away, but then stopped. There was a glint in her eyes and she looked excited for the first time since their banishment. "What an idea..." There was an unexpected smile on her face as she pulled Kovu closer by his tail and placed one paw gently around his shoulders. She began to stroke him none-too-gently with her claws, ignoring his attempts to squirm away. "You brilliant child! I'm so proud of you! You have the same conniving mind that made Scar so...powerful."_

_Vitani had no idea what their mother was on about. And neither, it seemed, did Kovu. Nuka, however, made a noise of disgust, which quickly died out when Zira snapped her head around and snarled at him. He giggled nervously in a feeble attempt to feign pretense of his previous reaction. Without another word, Zira picked up Kovu and carried him inside the termite den that served as their shelter._

_Not long after, Zira began to elaborate on a cunning and ruthless plan to take back the Pridelands, that had apparently been inspired by Kovu's accidental encounter with Kiara. At least, she obviously thought it cunning and ruthless. Vitani had her doubts, but simply went along with it even though she thought it was likely to fail. After all, she couldn't see her younger brother doing any of the things Zira planned for him to do; he was nothing like the monster that Scar had been.  
_  
_But this new plan brought change, and it wasn't the kind that Vitani liked. She had been spending more and more time avoiding her mother ever since they entered the Outlands, but now for the first time, she considered running away. Even if she died from dehydration, she would not regret it. She wanted no part in any of this—_

_No. She had to stay. Kovu, Nuka, and all the others would be brainwashed into becoming killers because of Zira's crazy plan. The others might have had it so hard out here that they would definitely share her desire living in the Pridelands again, but Vitani's brothers still had a chance. She couldn't leave them to fall victim to their own mother's schemes, couldn't fail them as she had failed Kopa._

_No matter what she would become in these next few years, no matter how many things she would do that she would not be proud of, she had to stay for them. And hope that perhaps, just maybe, Zira's plan would fail and she would try no more to take back what she could never have._

•••

Kopa realized that he must have accidentally left a trail in their carefully hidden shelter when he dragged back the animal carcass. _That was stupid of me. Why wasn't I more careful? _Now they were outnumbered by some unfriendly-looking lions that were looking to kill Siri. And he didn't like that at all.

Without thinking, he whirled and swiped the nearest lion across the throat. He heard the roar of pain at the same time that warm blood gushed over his claws. But he was already turning his attention to the next opponent; Tumaini reacted quickly and moved to protect Siri, who was struggling to stand up and defend herself.

Jeraha, caught unawares by the sudden ferocity, quickly rallied his uninjured subordinates, and they moved to close their circle even tighter. The large lion's eyes were on Siri the whole time, and he was closing in on her while Tumaini continued to fend off the enemies, although he was slowly being overwhelmed.

Kopa, who was struggling with one of the lions, could see that his friend was in trouble. They met eyes for a split second, and both knew what the other was thinking. He ducked down low and swept the attacking lion's paws out from under him, causing him to fall, just as Tumaini swiftly slid Siri onto his back. Jeraha was now uncomfortably close, and he raised a paw to strike down both him and his burden. But Kopa was even faster, and leaped onto his back, pinning him down for a brief moment.

It was all Tumaini needed. With two lions down, they had enough of an opening to make a break for it. They dashed out of the forest and into the open grasslands, with four lions on their tails.

Kopa looked behind him and knew they weren't out of trouble just yet. Tumaini was a strong lion and was able to keep Siri on his back without slowing down too much, but to outrun their pursuers was a bit of a long shot. And it was even more unlikely given the number of lions chasing them and the fact that he had spent most of the night treating her injuries instead of getting his now much-needed sleep.

"This is a fine mess we've gotten into," Tumaini grunted.

"Tell me about it," said Kopa. "How are you keeping up?"

"I'm fine, but we need a plan. Fast."

He thought quickly. Hiding was definitely out of the question, since they wouldn't be able to get out of sight, and their scents were still too strong anyway. They could keep running, but he had no idea who would win the test of endurance, and with the importance of Siri's knowledge, it wasn't smart to just hope they would outlast the others. And to stand and fight meant they would definitely lose.

That left only one option.

"We'll split them up," Kopa said. "I'll go one way, you take Siri and go the other way."

"You think that'll split them up?"

"Sure," he said, although he wasn't really. "Now that we all know about the plan, they have to go after all of us. But get Siri out of here. Whatever you do, don't stop running."

Tumaini looked slightly uncertain, but all he said was, "Okay. Where are we meeting?"

Siri spoke for the first time since Jeraha and his lions showed up. "Shira Hollow, in the eastern base of the Shira Summit on Mount Kilimanjaro. That's where my pride will be if they've left home."

Kopa had no idea where that was, but they didn't have much time. "Alright then, I'm off. Good luck."

"You'd better be there," Tumaini said gruffly, although the consternation was clear in his voice.

There was no time for further goodbyes as the two friends headed in different directions, Tumaini heading northeast with Siri on his back and Kopa continuing straight east. One of the lions broke off to follow Kopa, and one stopped and turned back, while the remaining two continued after Tumaini and Siri.

•••

"Go after them," said the injured lion, although it was difficult for him to speak with his damaged throat.

"No one gets left behind, Husuda," Jeraha growled. "That's how it works."

"I'll be fine..."

Jeraha ignored his wounded friend, and instead turned to see one of his lionesses return. "What is it, Kukesha?"

"The two males have gone separate ways," she reported. "Kasi is going after the younger one, the others are still on the female and her escort."

"Good. We'll go after them when the time comes."

Jeraha didn't worry about the possibility of losing them. He knew he subordinates were smart enough to leave trails for him to follow. In the meantime, Husuda needed to be treated before he became a fatality.

_I have underestimated these two. And their escape is an insult that must be repaid. But that will come in time._

_After all, Fujo will know what to do._

•••

When the earthquake began, Simba had ordered everyone to a safe distance away from Pride Rock. But things were beginning to settle back down again, and both the rocks and the caves remained mercifully intact and uncollapsed. Still, it would be better if they waited a little longer before moving everyone back.

Simba had sent Zazu out to regroup all the hunting parties that had been out before the earthquake started. He didn't know how far it reached throughout the Pridelands, but the other animals had run off and were nowhere to be seen, which was a bit disconcerting. He would be able to breathe easier once everyone was accounted for.

He noticed Kovu sitting off away from the others, looking out to the distance. The young lion was very quiet and looked more than a little worried. Simba approached him, knowing what was on his mind.

"Kiara's with Nala's hunting party," he said. "She'll be fine."

Kovu nodded, not looking very reassured. "Have you seen Vitani?"

"She's with Mateka. They're over at Zulu Falls, I think."

There was a moment of silence, and then he asked, "Simba, what was that shaking? What caused it?"

"It was called an earthquake. It can be very deadly if powerful enough. But...I can't say what causes it. It just happens sometimes."

"It's like someone's collapsing a giant tunnel," said Timon, with a small shudder. He had been clinging tightly to Pumbaa's ears the entire time with his eyes squeezed shut. "And I thought it was safe aboveground."

Simba gave a small chuckle at that, but it quickly died in his throat. Zazu was flying towards them, and he looked rather anxious.

No, that was an understatement. The majordomo was flapping so urgently his breath was coming up short. Had something happened? No, it couldn't have...

His worst fears were confirmed. "Sire, it's the princess! She's fallen down a fissure!"

Kovu's head immediately snapped up. Simba was paralyzed with horror at the words. _No..._

"Where is she?" the younger lion demanded.

"Follow me, quickly!" Even though Zazu seemed quite exhausted, he took flight once again and started flying back the way he came, with Kovu and several lionesses following. Simba forced himself to move, trying to shut out the terrible thoughts that were creeping into his mind. She couldn't be gone, she couldn't...

_Hang on, Kiara. I'm coming._

•••

_The plan with the fire worked without a flaw, although it looked at first as if Kiara wouldn't have made it. But she managed to reach relative safety in time for Kovu to rescue her and bring her into the Pridelands. Things went almost flawlessly until the night he returned to Pride Rock after spending the night with her._

_It was Vitani's turn to watch that evening. She crouched behind an outcrop of rocks near the massive pride den, watching as Simba invited Kovu into the cave instead of sleeping outside like he had to do before. As soon as the king turned his back, it would be the perfect opportunity to strike._

_Vitani began to feel a mixture of excitement and anxiety as she whispered the unheard command to Kovu. "Get him..." Soon, their ordeal would be over._

_But all her brother did was follow him obediently inside._

_"What are you waiting for...get him...!" They had come too far to back down now. Kovu couldn't let his marred childhood be given up in vain—or hers._

_The two lions disappeared from her view. Hardly believing her eyes, Vitani ran off, back to where Zira would be waiting for her report._

_As she dashed soundlessly across the empty Pridelands, her mind was in turmoil. They had done so much leading up to this moment, only to have lost their chance because Kovu hadn't taken in as much of Zira's darkness as it had first appeared. Vitani felt a hint of relief that her brother had not become like Scar after all, but it was quickly drowned out by uncertainty. What were they to do now? They needed to return to the Pridelands..._

_But did they need to do it like this?_

_Of course. Simba would never allow them back willingly. _Nuka didn't deserve to be exiled,_ Vitani reminded herself. _Neither did Kovu.

_But Simba had already accepted Kovu into the pride, despite his ties to Zira. And he looked so happy now, especially with Kiara. Maybe there was another way..._

_No, there wasn't. Not for all of them. And her mother knew best. Even if she was unpleasant at times and treated them harshly. They had to toughen up to survive. She did it because she cared about them._

_Zira had not been happy to hear about Kovu's supposed change of heart. She quickly thought of a plan for tomorrow that would not only deal with Simba, but remind Kovu of what he was supposed to do..._

•••

Kovu saw a group of lionesses gathered around the large crack in the ground Zazu had led him to, and guessed it was the hunting party Kiara had been with. He noticed Nala was laying nearby, her head buried in her forelegs. Some of the others were nearby, speaking softly to her, but she didn't respond.

To his surprise, he saw Vitani present as well with another lioness. But he quickly turned his attention instead to the fissure.

It was quite deep, and not very spacious at that. He couldn't see the bottom, or Kiara for that matter. There were several jagged chunks of rock protruding from the fissure walls too. It had to have been a painful fall. He gritted his teeth. _Don't think that. How could you think that?_

Simba was staring down the chasm as well. "How do we get down there?"

His tone meant that to leave Kiara was not an option. Not that Kovu disagreed with him. He couldn't stand the thought of her being at the bottom of a deep hole, far from the surface and possibly hurt very badly. He was already hating himself for not being there when she was in trouble. _We've been together for such a short time, and this happens! I promised myself I'd take care of her!_

"Sire, I could fly down and check on her," Zazu offered feebly.

Vitani shook her head. "It wouldn't do you any good. It's too dark for you to see down there," she said flatly.

For a moment, Kovu resented the rational statement. Always the tough one, that was Vitani. She hadn't exactly been friends with Kiara, but the fact that she looked so unaffected was vexing to him.

"Besides, if she's hurt, you won't be able to carry her back. I'll go."

Kovu was surprised. Then he realized that maybe his sister did care after all. But while he was freaking out and thinking the worst, she had been cool-headed and collected. "I'll go too," he said.

"Then I'm coming with you," said Simba. Again, Vitani disagreed.

"It's hard to get down there without falling, not to mention back up. But Kovu and I have been trained for things like this since we were cubs. Besides," she added. "You should stay with Nala."

She said this in the same firm tone, but at the words, Simba had turned his attention to his mate, who was still very much distraught, and slowly nodded.

_Good old Tani,_ Kovu thought. _She really doesn't miss a thing._ "I'll bring her back. I promise." Without hesitation, he leaped onto a protruding ledge, resisting the urge to rush, and made sure he maintained his balance, before jumping onto a lower one. Vitani followed him, and the two siblings descended into the darkness with a silent determination.

•••

_She was looking down on a mass of animals, all gathered beneath an inclining rock. Giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, zebras, antelopes, bluebirds, and all sorts of animals that lived in the Pridelands. They were all staring up at her. She could feel firm but gentle hands holding her sides._

_The animals bowed in unison, and the hands that held her lowered her. She was being cradled by an old mandrill who smiled down at her as he smeared an orange-brown liquid that felt cold on her forehead. She blinked and looked at his fingers and then up at him curiously._

_A kind-looking lioness with blue eyes moved closer and nuzzled her. She knew who it was by instinct—mother—and accepted the affectionate gesture, enjoying the warmth of the lioness' face rubbing against hers._

_A second lion, a gentle-looking male—father—leaned in as well and they touched. She felt a great contentment at that moment, even though she wasn't yet old enough to understand the full extent of it. She felt safe, from what, she didn't know. But it was a pleasant feeling._

_She opened her eyes. And then she saw him._

_A male cub, standing at the other side of the rock, looking at them—looking at her. His eyes held the same kindness as her parents', although it was more...child-like. The way he stared at her suggested they had some sort of connection._

Kiara wasn't sure if she was awake or not. It was too dark to tell, and there was a pounding in the back of her head. Where was she? What had happened?

She could feel a few other bruises on her body, but was able to get up without trouble. It felt like there was dirt beneath her paws, but it was very damp. And so was the air she was breathing. Looking up, she thought she could see a faint light far above her.

And then she remembered. She was on a hunt. The earth had started shaking. It broke open and she fell down a hole. She must have hit her head on something, which caused her to black out. Kiara felt momentarily that perhaps she should be panicking, but right now, the throbbing in the back of her head was really bothering her. She gently touched the spot, only to have a lance of pain shoot through her skull. With a gasp of pain, she sank down again.

In that moment, when she felt as if someone was driving a sharp rock through her head, she saw something. She wasn't sure what it was, but it felt comforting in the bleakness of her situation.

_She saw the cub again with her parents. They were talking, but she could hardly make out the sounds. Then a name jolted through her mind._

_Kopa._

The vision lasted only a moment, but it faded as quickly as the pain. Kiara felt dizzy and slumped down on the soft, cold ground again. Kopa. Who was he?

"Kiara!"

Was someone calling to her? That voice...why did it sound so familiar?

"Kiara!" It was a male voice. Strong, but kind. And...afraid.

Kiara's eyes had now partially adjusted to the darkness, but it was still difficult to see properly. She caught the faint outlines of two lions jumping down towards her. But she could feel herself slipping out of consciousness again as the pain dulled and her vision began to fade.

"Kiara?" the first lion said. His voice sounded like it came from a great distance, she could hear the concern.

"Kopa?" she whispered just as her eyes shut again.

•••

Kovu felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Kiara's eyes close. But he quickly checked her pulse and confirmed that she was alive. He also looked her over the best he could in the darkness; she had quite a few bruises and scrapes, but otherwise she appeared fine. He carefully and gently eased her onto his back. "Let's get back up there, Vitani. Stay below me and warn me if she's slipping."

Vitani didn't move, but simply stared at Kiara's unconscious form in disbelief. Her mouth was slightly open.

"Vitani? Tani, come on..."

She shook her head and snapped out of it. "Yeah. Right behind you."

Kovu wondered momentarily what his sister was so shocked about, but he put it out of his mind. Right now, he had to concentrate on getting Kiara to safety. That meant he had to be very precise every time he jumped up a ledge. Some of them were quite narrow or higher than others, so he had to be careful to maintain his balance. If they fell, she might not survive a second time.

•••

Vitani was so immersed in her thoughts that she was hardly aware of her movements as she accompanied Kovu back up to the surface. She had heard what Kiara had said before she passed out, and it was unexplainable.

_Kopa. _She had called Kovu by her brother's name. Yes, Kiara was probably delusional, but how could she know who Kopa was? He had died when she was barely old enough to open her eyes, and would have no memory of him at all.

Another thought entered Vitani's mind, and it wasn't one she liked. _If she knows about Kopa...what else does she know about him?_

She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to that question. Especially since she had a secret even Simba didn't know about, a secret that had died with Zira, and Kopa himself.

Kovu knew Kopa before their banishment. But it seemed he hadn't heard Kiara when she called him that, because he hadn't given any sort of reaction. Or maybe he just didn't make the connection, since they hadn't really been close. Not nearly as close as her and Mateka had been to him. Or maybe he was just far too concerned with Kiara to listen to what she was saying.

Vitani winced and narrowed her eyes as her vision filled with sunlight, and she realized that they had made it back to the surface. Simba and Nala were already crouched around Kiara, checking her injuries and looking very much relieved. Nala, looking more like her usual confident self, actually put a paw around Kovu's shoulders and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Kovu," she whispered, her blue eyes sparkling with tears. Kovu, not used to such open displays of affection from anyone other than Kiara, smiled in a rather embarrassed way.

Zazu had just finished making his rounds and reported that everyone in the pride was accounted for. Simba, satisfied that his daughter wasn't too badly hurt, was carrying her back to Pride Rock, with the others following closely behind. Vitani followed, with Kopa's name still echoing in her head.

•••

At first, the earthquake tearing apart the grasslands only made Tumaini even more apprehensive. Another danger to add to their already precarious situation. Although he had had a pretty good head start and only had two lions coming after them, they had been slowly closing the gap since he was still carrying Siri on his back. She had said to him more than once, that she _was pretty sure _she could run on her own. Of course, he had ignored her.

And then the ground started shaking and cracking apart. They had a few close calls, and it was a rather nerve-wracking situation since he had no way to guess where the earth would open up. But he got a stroke of luck soon afterward. Right after he ran past a lone baobab, a fissure opened behind him that was so wide it dislodged the tree completely and caused it to fall in before it finished widening even further. The lions behind him were effectively cut off from him, and knowing better than to fling themselves to their deaths, turned around and ran for safer terrain.

Tumaini finally slowed down, breathing heavily and walking around the broken ground more cautiously. "Okay," he panted. "Let's..." He didn't even have enough breath to finish the sentence.

"I think it's stopped," Siri said. "Let's take a break. I'll get off you so you can breathe." She slipped off his back, wincing slightly as her paws touched the ground.

He tried to tell her to watch her paws, but he was still far too exhausted to do anything apart from collapse and continue taking in as much air as he could. Now that the adrenaline was fading from his system, he felt completely drained of strength, and rather sore too.

_Okay, we're safe for the time being. I guess a break couldn't hurt._ He just hoped Kopa was doing alright on his own. _The kid's a fast runner. I just hope nothing happened to him during the earthquake..._

•••

Kopa stared down the deep abyss that had been opened up by the earthquake. Having never experienced anything like it before, he wondered what had caused it. Surely no living being had the power to cause something so destructive...

He had made it to safe grounds just in time before things got really messy in the grasslands. His pursuer, however, wasn't so lucky; she had been caught in the worst of it, and had fallen to a swift death without so much as skidding the walls on the way down, as if the ground had simply vanished below her. Her screaming had been swallowed up by the roar of the convulsing earth.

Stopping to take a breather, Kopa looked around to see his options. He would have been able to turn back to the grasslands, had it not been for the fact that most of the grasslands behind him were absolutely destroyed. He knew he should try to get to Mount Kilimanjaro rather than waste time looking for Tumaini and Siri, but the only problem was that he had arrived at the last place he wanted to be in the Serengeti.

The Outlands.

He had never been here before, but Tumaini had told him many stories about it, and he had no doubt that this was exactly where he was. No one knew how far the Outlands went on from one end to the other. And with little food and water there, how was he supposed to make it if he had no idea where he was going? It didn't look like anyone out here would be able to direct him to Mount Kilimanjaro.

Still, Kopa knew he had no other choice. So when he was rested enough, he got up and proceeded into the unwelcome lands, feeling none too pleased about his situation.

•••

Kiara recovered very quickly, as Rafiki had said she would after he tended to her injuries. But Simba told her to stay at Pride Rock and rest for another day anyway. Normally, she would have felt exasperated at how overprotective her father was being (as usual), but considering the events of the day, obeyed without argument.

Besides, there was something on her mind at the moment, and she intended to ask him about it as soon as he came back.

Kovu frequently came by to check on her and to keep her from getting bored. Timon and Pumbaa also dropped in to offer her some grubs, which she declined immediately.

"Come on, princess," Timon insisted, holding out a suspiciously bright-coloured ladybug of sorts. "Eat this one here and you'll be right as rain."

Kiara rolled her eyes, while Kovu tried not to laugh. "I'm fine, Timon. But thanks."

"Timon, she won't like those," Pumbaa said. "They're too crunchy. These slimy ones are way better." He handed her a thick brown worm before she could object.

"Oy," groaned Timon. "We are not starting this argument again, Pumbaa. Crunchy beats slimy, end of story."

The two lions watched in silent amusement as the lifelong friends started bickering again as they walked back out of the cave.

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

Kiara made a face at the moist worm wriggling in her paw. Kovu laughed at her expression of disgust, and she took the opportunity to shove it into his mouth.

He gagged and coughed, but the grub was already making its way down his throat. He swallowed and gave a small shudder, but then ran his tongue over the inside of his mouth. "Actually, these aren't half bad."

"If you say so," said Kiara, wiping her paw on the cave floor.

Just then, Simba came in with Nala. "Kovu, how's Kiara doing?"

Kiara sighed. "I'm not dying here, daddy. I can speak for myself."

"I think she'll be alright," Kovu said with a small laugh.

"You hit your head pretty hard," Simba said to his daughter. "Is there anything you're having trouble remembering?"

She frowned. "Actually, I think I remember something I didn't before. The day of my presentation ceremony." Simba and Nala exchanged glances; it was unheard of for any lion to have memories that early on in their life. Pressing on, Kiara asked, "Daddy...who's Kopa?"

Her parents' looks of surprise instantly transformed into that of pure shock. Kovu remembered when he found her that she had whispered something. He hadn't heard clearly at the time, but he realized that she must have called him Kopa. The name sounded almost familiar, but he couldn't recall why exactly...

Finally, Nala spoke. "Kopa is...was...your brother. And our first child."

_That's right_. Kovu remembered now that Simba and Nala had a son before Zira and the Outlanders had been banished. He had never talked to Kopa, but Vitani seemed to be good friends with him. _I haven't seen him since we returned to the Pridelands. Since Zira first sent me here, now that I think about it..._

"What happened to him?" Kiara asked.

Her mother looked down, her expression distraught. Simba answered for her. "He...he was killed by Zira."

Kiara's mouth dropped open. But Kovu's reaction was far more pronounced. He felt as if someone had knocked the breath out of him. "I never knew that..."

"She caught him out alone one day by the cliff," Simba said more quietly. "She pushed him off and into the river. Kopa was fighting the current before he went under, and that was the last I saw of him. We searched for him for days, but never found him..."

Kovu was horrified. He knew his mother had hardly been a noble creature, but the idea of killing a defenseless cub without a second thought was sickening to him. No wonder Simba had banished them to the Outlands. No wonder he had been so reluctant to trust Kovu with his daughter, his only surviving child.

"I'm so sorry, Simba," he whispered. He couldn't even bring himself to look at Kiara or her parents. How could he? To think he once had been willing to go with Zira's plans...to believe her after what she had done...

Slowly, he padded out of the cave. He needed to talk to someone, to clear his head. He couldn't accept the fact that his own mother, someone of the same flesh and blood as him, had committed an unforgivable act by extinguishing a young life without remorse, the son of the Pride Rock rulers, the brother of the one he loved. He couldn't take it in without feeling nauseous.

He found Vitani sitting alone at a rocky outcrop, looking lost in thought. She glanced up as he approached. "Is Kiara alright?"

"Yeah. She's fine." Kovu's voice felt alien to him.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are _you _alright?"

He couldn't lie to her. Not now. "Simba told me what happened to...to Kopa. That Zira killed him."

She sighed. "Yeah. I was there."

"You were?"

She nodded. "I knew mother would never tell you because she always wanted Simba to look like the despicable one. I didn't tell you either, but for a different reason." She looked down again. "It was my fault."

It was an unexpected confession. But it made sense now. Why Vitani was different. Why she seemed to have lost her tough, fiery side after Zira's failed attempt at revenge. Why she always looked so guilty while she was at Pride Rock. Sitting down next to her, he said, "Tell me."

* * *

******[Author's Note]**

**Shira is one of Mount Kilimanjaro's three volcanic cones, but I Wikipedia'd it so I don't know much more about it apart from the name and the fact that it's extinct. It's not important to the story anyway.**

* * *

**[Original Character Names]**

**Husuda:** Envy**  
**

**Kukesha:** Watch**  
**

**Pumbaa:** Foolish**  
**


	5. Vitani's Secret

**[Author's Note]**

**For any of you who haven't been enjoying my Vitani-angst so far, watch out. That's what most of this chapter is going to be made of. And if any of you are beginning to wonder if I'm going to bring back Vitani's tough side at all, yes, yes I am. But you'll have to wait until the next book to see it.**

* * *

_Vitani padded through the grass, feeling its cool moisture slipping past her paws as she made her way to the river. It had been raining for four days straight and the air was cool with thick mist that made it difficult to see very far in any direction. But she had always liked days like these, as rare as they were to come by in the Serengeti. It helped her retreat to her own world when she needed to be alone._

_Not that she needed those days so much anymore. Ever since she had become friends with Kopa, and later Mateka, it had been easier to wake up every day next to her mother and hope she was still asleep. Before that, the only one she had felt comfortable around was Kovu. Even though he was nice to her and the others in the pride, they were avoided because Zira's shadow constantly hung over them. Nuka had it the worst out of the three of them; some of the cubs actually insulted him because Scar had rejected him as his heir. She felt bad for him for it. _Since when did any of them like Scar so much anyway?

_Not that Zira had cared how many friends her children were able to make. All she had focused on was for Kovu to be raised as Scar's heir, but after Simba took back the Pridelands, she spent all her time moping and keeping Kovu within her sight. That was when Vitani had the chance to go out on her own and later become friends with Kopa. At first, it had been hard for her to trust him because of the way she and her brothers had been treated. He wouldn't stay around her very long because she always acted so disagreeable even to him. She had struggled to let down the walls she had built around herself. She still was struggling, sometimes._

_Nuka had developed a sullen personality; Zira ignored him mostly nowadays. Vitani sometimes went to see him because he was on his own; he was now in his adolescence and still had no friends. He didn't usually want to talk to her. Sometimes he was even angry. _"Look, why don't you go find Koba or whatever his name is?"

"Kopa."

"Whatever. Do I look like I care?"

_He was hurt, she felt sure of it. Hurt that he had grown up feeling like he was never good enough for anyone. Hurt that he was rejected all the time and never understanding why. Vitani would sometimes talk to Kopa about him, although there wasn't much either of them could do. He told her that Nala showed Nuka some signs of sympathy, but the queen had many other responsibilities to attend to, and Nuka didn't want to approach her very much anyway._

It must be hard for him to see her looking after her cubs so tenderly, when he never knew what that was like._ Vitani was worried about what Kovu would be like growing up. Zira never failed to provide for him in terms of survival, but her bringing him up was causing him more harm than good._

"He is our future," _their mother had always said back in the days when Scar was alive. Not that it looked like much of a future then, with countless hyenas prowling the Pridelands, which were already wasted away to nothing. But maybe things would be different now. Simba's return had brought change, and Zira had to accept that. Once she did, their future might be something worthwhile._

_"Tani?"_

_Vitani gave a start when she saw Kopa appearing out of the fog behind her. "Kopa, were you following me?" She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, even though she knew he couldn't hear her thoughts. But him, being here made her feel like he was intruding._

_"Yeah. You were just standing here, doing nothing."_

_She looked out over the cliff edge and looked down at the white, churning water below. The ceaseless rain had swollen the river, and its current was so fast she could hear it rushing by even from the top of the cliff. "I'm thinking. It doesn't mean I'm doing nothing. But I'm not allowed to stand here, _prince_?" The last word had a hard note of sarcasm in it._

_"I don't mean that. But aren't you bored? Wouldn't you rather play hide-and-seek or something?"_

_She scoffed, looking at the heavy mist around them. "Sure. I'll run off and you'll never find me again."_

_Vitani didn't know why she was being so abrasive. Maybe because she didn't want him to know what she was thinking about. And when she put up the walls she was so used to having around her, she would put up an angry front to shut people out._

_Obviously, Kopa noticed, even if he didn't understand it completely. "Are you okay?"_

_She felt a hint of guilt at the concern in his voice. He was the closest friend that she had, and she had considered before if it wouldn't be easier to just open up. But she had learned to keep things to herself, and planned never to talk to anyone about certain matters. Not to Kopa. Not to Nuka. Not even to Kovu._

_"I—" She broke off when she saw a thin, angular figure approaching them from the mist. Even though she couldn't make out the features properly, she recognized the silhouette enough to know who it was._

_She had never known her mother to come this far from Pride Rock on her own. She didn't go anywhere at all most of the time unless she was hunting with a party. So why was she here? Vitani hurried forward, passing Kopa as she did so. "Mother. Were you looking for me? I'm sorry I went off so far, but I just wanted..."_

_Zira didn't seem to hear what she was saying. Instead, she was staring at Kopa with a very unusual look in her eye._

_"What are you doing out here alone?" she asked._

_"I just wanted to go for a walk, mother—"_

_"Not you, Vitani," her mother snapped, although without very much rancor. Her gaze was still fixed intently on Kopa, who now looked very uncomfortable._

_"I wasn't alone," he said, shifting slightly. "I was following Vitani—"_

_"And your father thinks that's safe, does he?" she sneered._

_"Mother, what are you talking about?" A smile was widening on Zira's face, and Vitani wasn't sure she liked it._

_"You shouldn't wander to places like these, you know. Where no one can see you. The river current is so _brutal_, I can't imagine how anyone could survive if they fell in." She was edging towards Kopa now, who was staring at her with something approaching fear. His mind was unable to comprehend what was going on, what she was doing..._

_"Kopa?" Simba's voice cut through the fog, even though Vitani couldn't see him yet. She had a bad feeling about the scene that was unfolding before her. She unconsciously urged him to reach them soon, because something was very wrong with her mother right now, but if the king was here, it would be alright..._

_Zira, it seemed, had run out of patience. Her claws rapidly unsheathed and she swiped hard at Kopa, who barely managed to dodge the attack, but fell on his back as he did so. Vitani gave a gasp of horror at her mother's unchecked viciousness. She was actually trying to kill him, her best friend, the prince of Pride Rock..._

_"There will be no heir from Simba's family," she snarled. "First I'll deal with you, then the mewling newborn." She stepped hard on his tail, effectively pinning him as she raised her claws for the fatal blow. He cried out in pain and struggled to free himself, but to no avail._

_"Kopa!" Simba's voice was much more urgent now, and much closer. But Vitani knew he was not close enough, and her friend might be out of time if she didn't do something..._

_Kopa managed to sit upright, and he stabbed his tiny claws into Zira's footpaw, causing her to roar in pain. Seeing her let go, Vitani took her chance and dashed forward. She pushed him hard, moving him out of the way of Zira's paw._

_Kopa skidded back, and to Vitani's horror, and plummeted off the side of the cliff. She heard his scream of terror mingle with her own, and she couldn't tear her eyes away as she saw him fall into the water. He disappeared underneath the relentless current, and it was then that she realized her mother was laughing._

_It was a terrible sound. She had never heard Zira sound so genuinely happy, and at the same time so cruel. But underneath this thought came a question that was much, much worse. _What have I done?

_"Kopa!" Simba had reached them, and was looking over the cliff edge frantically. Kopa had resurfaced, fighting the current, and Vitani hoped that he would make it. But he just as quickly disappeared again, and as much as she longed to see him come back up, a small part of her knew that he was gone._

_"Kopa!" Simba shouted one last time, drawing out his son's name in a mournful cry. His eyes were filled with tears and he clenched his teeth as he turned to glare at them._

_As soon as Vitani saw his eyes, she felt as if nothing would be able to stop Simba from killing them if he intended it. A fear gripped her, and a selfish thought rose out of her mind above everything else. _Please don't let him know it was me. I didn't mean to do it...

_But Zira was more than happy to take the credit for her daughter's terrible deed. "Now you know my pain, Simba, when you took Scar from me."_

_The king roared, in grief and rage and anguish. Zira flinched, but her expression was empty of the terror that was flooding through Vitani right now. But no further words were exchanged as three other lionesses reached them, one of them being Nala. They looked confused at the scene before them. "What's wrong, Simba?" she asked, concerned._

_The three words were enough to break down the fury in his being, and he broke down and wept unashamedly before them. "Kopa," he sobbed, gazing down at the impassive, surging river below them, as if willing his son to come back. Nala followed his gaze, figured out the rest, and was by her mate's side, joining in his sorrow as her eyes filled with tears. Vitani watched them, still mute with shock._

What have I done?

•••

_Vitani was held at the cliff edge with Zira under careful guard as Simba and Nala dashed off. At first, she just waited, still fearful of what would happen to them. But as the day wore on and nothing happened to them, the full magnitude of what had occurred crashed down on her. She had caused the demise of one of the few creatures who had cared about her! She could still feel his fur on her paws as she pushed him out of danger's way, only to result in sending him falling into that dreadful river. She remembered how his eyes had locked onto hers in that moment before he was taken from her forever..._

_The fog had vanished by noon, and she could see groups of lionesses prowling along the riverside now, searching for Kopa, no doubt. Zira cackled. "Oh, they'll never find him," she murmured gleefully. Then, she bent close to her daughter and whispered, "Well done, Vitani. I knew you had it in you."_

_Vitani shrank back as if she was physically hurt by the words. She wished her mother would stop talking. She wished she was gone from her life. Gone from Nuka's life too, and Kovu's..._

_Simba had returned, still looking very much dispirited but this time more composed. With him were Vitani's brothers, along with a dozen lionesses._

_"You are hereby exiled from the Pridelands," the king said to Zira, his voice tight but loud enough for everyone to hear. "You will take your children with you. You are to leave immediately."_

_Zira snickered. "You think you can protect your daughter by sending me away, Simba. But I will get to her one day. You'll see, one day you will have no heirs to follow you..."_

_"Enough!" Simba thundered, immediately silencing her. "I have every right to kill you right now, but I choose to let you live for your children's sake. Now be gone! You will be sent beyond the edge of the Pridelands, and you will never return here. Should you come back, the punishment will be execution."_

_They were escorted by the lionesses to the Outlands in silence. As Vitani trekked into the barren wasteland with her family, she wondered what was going to happen to them. How were they to survive out here? She couldn't see any signs of food or water, and Kovu was still a growing cub who needed both. Not to mention herself, who wasn't much older..._

_"Mother?" asked Nuka quietly. "Where are we going?"_

_Zira had already come up with an answer. "We're going to find the other Outlanders, Nuka. The ones who were still loyal to Scar when he died and refused to accept Simba as their king."_

_Vitani wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but she didn't say anything. She felt an unexpected relief. They wouldn't be alone out here, at least. She had no illusions about living in abundance or contentment, not that she had anything like that with her type of childhood. Kopa had been the only one who made it better at times, but he was gone now, because of her._

_And now he wasn't around to help take away her guilt. Being here in the Outlands alleviated her misery a bit, as if it represented how she felt and what she was becoming. As if she belonged here. _I deserve it. Maybe mother deserves it too. But what about Kovu? Or Nuka?_ She glanced at her brothers. Nuka certainly looked unhappy, and Kovu confused and a bit scared. And the guilt washed over her again. And for the hundredth time, she thought, _What have I done?

•••

_The Outlanders crept into the Pridelands through the dark of the night. A storm was brewing in the sky overhead, which would conceal them effectively. Simba would eventually know they were coming, but by the time he did, they would already be close enough._

_They had made their way all the way to the top of the gorge and were almost alongside the dam when Vitani saw them. Pridelanders approaching them in a single line as the nearby animals hurried to get out of the way. By now, the rain was pouring down on them, but she could almost make out their eyes, all trained on the approaching Outlanders._

_Zira perched atop a high rock and wordlessly signalled a halt. They waited for the Pridelanders to reach them. Their numbers were formidable. It would be a very unpleasant fight, but one that Vitani was looking forward to for once._

_"It's over, Simba!" Zira called when the king and his forces finally reached them. "I have dreamed of nothing else for years..."_

_"Last chance, Zira," snapped Simba. "Go home."_

_"I _am_ home," she replied, voicing Vitani's thoughts exactly. It was time to make an end of things. "Attack!"_

_Both lines of lions began trotting towards each other, slowly at first, but then picking up speed. Not even one of them had a hint of fear in their eyes._

_The two sides clashed, and roars broke out as they clawed and bit at each other. Zira was in her element, watching the battle and waiting for her opportunity to get to Simba. "Go for the eyes! Break his jaw! Hit him low! Get them, do what you must!"_

_The Outlanders quickly gained the upper hand. Despite the fact that they were thinner and were outnumbered, but they had been trained to kill in ways that the Pridelanders never had. The smell of blood quickly filled the battle ground as the puddles of rain were mixed in with crimson. A couple of Outlanders fell and didn't get back up, but their casualties were still less than those the Pridelanders sustained._

_Zira had almost reached Simba. Vitani knew that her mother would be in for a tough fight, and moved to join her. But she spotted Nala nearby, and decided to intercept her first._

_Nuka's face flashed in her mind, and she felt a great fury seized her. Thoughts ran through her mind as she dashed towards her would-be opponent, who hadn't yet spotted her. _I've lost both my brothers because they were banished for something they had no part in. Now one of them is dead, and the other one was taken away from me by you and Simba. I spent most of my life protecting them, my brothers, better than you ever did your children. And still, my family was destroyed.

It's not fair.

_Vitani jumped up onto a rocky ledge and glared down at Nala, who finally noticed her. She felt herself break out into a grin that masked the livid emotions pounding in her head. "Where's your pretty daughter, Nala?" she jeered._

_Nala's eyes narrowed. "Vitani!"_

_Vitani pounced down on her, and the two of them rolled into a puddle. She clawed at the queen, who retaliated by sinking her teeth into the side of her neck. Vitani felt a lance of pain shoot through her. Never had she seen Nala so vicious. But she wasn't about to give up either, and scratched the side of her face, causing her to let go. The two lionesses got up and circled each other._

_"You'd better hope Kovu's found her," Vitani taunted. "He's the only one that can protect her since you can't seem to."_

_"What's happened to you?" Nala snarled. "You're not the cub I remember."_

_The words shouldn't have hurt, but they did. She faltered, feeling a small wave of remorse tear away at her cold fury. But she fought it off, and said accusingly, "The cub you remember was banished to the Outlands. And she never came back." She lunged again, knocking Nala to the ground. But unexpectedly, Vitani felt herself being propelled forward by the older lioness, and the next second she was on the bottom. Before she was pinned completely, she rolled to the side, causing Nala to lose her balance. Vitani held her by the throat in one paw, the other preparing to strike._

_She felt a clenched paw strike her hard in the stomach, and fell back, the breath knocked out of her. Gasping for air, she tried to assume an offensive stance, but couldn't get up just yet. Nala, however, was back on her paws. "So this is how it's going to be?" the queen said, not yet attacking but looking at her with a mix of anger, regret, and sadness. "Zira's turned you into a demon who kills to get what she wants?" She lowered her voice. "I guess the Vitani that I knew died with Kopa all those years ago."_

Kopa..._ Vitani was in complete shock as the name rang through her mind. It was a name she hadn't spoken in years, because it was from the past she never wanted to be part of her again. The full realization of what was happening finally hit her. She felt all her rage, all her grief, and all her resolve disappear when she took in the scene around her. Lions, who had once stood together and lived like a family, were killing each other; one side led by hatred, one by bitterness. And she was with them, to take by force a home she had once shared with a cub that meant very much to her, hurting the ones that he cared about..._

_And she remembered what she had told herself when Zira had first began to plan her revenge. She had sworn to herself to look after her brothers, to make sure they didn't follow in their mother's pawprints. She finally realized that she had fallen into that trap herself. And without Kovu or Nuka by her side, what was she still doing? Why was she fighting for a vile purpose that was never meant to be hers?_

_Vitani was torn from her thoughts as she felt Nala tackle her and hold her down. She didn't struggle, but waited to die. She felt nothing but shame. _Kopa, forgive me...

_But suddenly the fight came to a stop. Not just between them, but all the others too. Zira had finally reached Simba, and the two leaders stared each other down as they circled each other, preparing for the final duel that would decide the outcome of the battle. Both of them raised their claws and roared, and everyone braced for them to clash—_

_Out of nowhere, two lions leaped down between them, halting the fight before it even began. Vitani felt Nala let go as they both realized who they were. She got back on her paws. "Kiara?" Simba said._

_"Kovu!" Zira was no less shocked. Kovu and Kiara both fixed their respective parents with stern, determined looks. "Move..."_

_"Stand aside," Simba snapped._

_"Daddy, this has to stop," said Kiara firmly._

_Zira did not appreciate her son standing up to her like this. "You're even weaker than I thought. Get out of the way!"_

_But Kovu stood his ground. "You'll never hurt Kiara, or Simba! Not while I'm here."_

_Zira snarled at him, but he didn't even flinch. Simba was still trying to move his stubborn daughter. "Stay out of this!"_

_Instead of shouting back, Kiara lowered her voice and replied gently, "A wise king once told me, 'we are one'. I didn't understand him then...now I do."_

_Some of Simba's anger vanished at this statement, and he looked uncertain now. "But...they—"_  
_  
"'Them'?" Kiara repeated. "'Us'? Look at them. They _are_ us. What differences do you see?"_

_A silence fell over the battleground as the Outlanders' aggressive stances dropped. As Vitani saw the change in them, she realized that she had been wrong. Wrong to think the Outlanders wanted to fight and maim and kill as much as Zira did. Wrong to think no Pridelander would ever accept them as family. Wrong to believe Zira's lust for revenge could win out the love that the Pridelanders shared for each other. And seeing the way Kovu and Kiara stepped in to show their parents something stronger than hate allowed Vitani to finally let go of the darkness that had crept into her heart. _I'm proud of you, little brother. I did all this for you, but in the end you found your own way out. You didn't need me to save you...it was the other way around.

_Kiara gave Simba a gentle smile. Slowly, the dull fire of rage disappeared from his eyes, and he returned the smile. Vitani saw the change, and felt a newfound admiration for Kiara as she watched father and daughter embrace. _Thank you. Thank you for saving Kovu in a way I never could. And...thank you for giving us a chance to live as one again.

_"Vitani! Now!"_

_Vitani gave a start as Zira's voice cut through the moment like a claw through flesh. She felt the slightest disappointment that her mother hadn't taken in any of Kiara's words. But she wasn't really surprised either. She knew that it was finally her chance to make the right decision, and she wasn't about to let it pass. Without hesitation, she said, "No, mother." She looked to Kovu, who appeared astounded that she stood up to Zira for once. Kiara, however, gave her an encouraging smile. Slowly, Vitani moved to join her brother's side. "Kiara's right. Enough."_

_The Outlanders exchanged glances, unsure of what to do now. But there was a very nasty look in Zira's eyes as she snarled, "If you will not fight, then you will die as well."_

_The words cut right to Vitani's heart, even though she had never felt any genuine love towards her mother. But hearing her threaten to kill her without the slightest hint of remorse hurt her very deeply, more than any physical injury could do. Still, Vitani braced herself. If she had to fight Zira now, then so be it._

_But it seemed Zira's malicious ways had finally crossed the line. The Outlanders looked shocked for a moment, which quickly transformed into disgust. And one by one, they moved to stand beside the Pridelanders. Zira looked around at them in disbelief. "Where are you going? Get back here!"_

_"Let it go, Zira," Simba said wearily. "It's time to put the past behind us."_

_"I'll never let it go!" shouted Zira. "This is for you, Scar..."_

_For Scar. Not for Nuka. Not for Kovu. But for a cruel tyrant Zira never stopped idolizing, for a selfish and lost cause that would destroy everything but do no one any good. Vitani already knew that her mother would try to attack Simba in a final attempt at revenge, but she would be overpowered by the other lions in a heartbeat._

She knows she'll pay for what she's doing, but she's going to do it anyway. Just like when she killed Kopa.

_Sure enough, Zira's attack was stopped by Kiara, who moved to protect her father. The two lionesses tumbled off the cliff and into the gorge. "Kiara!" Simba cried._

_Everyone scrambled to the edge. "Kiara!" Kovu screamed._

_Simba leaped down after them, digging his claws into the rock as he slid along the steep cliff face. Kiara and Zira continued to fall, no longer tangled but rolling down towards the bottom of the gorge. Vitani saw her mother cling onto a protruding ledge and dangling precariously over the river. Kiara was luckier, and managed to stay on top of the ledge._

_"Hold on, Kiara!" Nala called. Suddenly, she turned her head._

_Vitani heard it too. The dam holding the river in place was beginning to crumble...and there was a lot of water struggling to free itself after the storm. The logs didn't last very long before it allowed a torrent to flood the gorge. "Simba..." Nala whispered. "Simba, the river!"_

_Simba, who was leaping from one stone pillar to another, saw the water flooding in, and hurried to reach his daughter._

_Zira couldn't seem to get up the ledge, and was slipping lower and lower. Kiara looked like she was trying to help her up, but Vitani watched her stubborn mother refuse her attempts. She struggled for a few more seconds before finally losing her grip and falling with a long scream into the raging river. One paw was visible above the water for a moment before it was swept away by a log._

_Vitani stared into the relentless rush of waters below. After sending a defenseless cub to his doom in the same river all those years ago, Zira had finally paid the price in her death. Vitani bowed her head, feeling an unexpected mourning for the mother who had used her for her entire life and had never loved her. But at the same time, she knew that it was better this way. Now that the animosity between the Pridelanders and the Outlanders died with Zira, the past could finally be forgiven._

•••

"And here we are," said Vitani. "And look at you, next in line to be king, just like mother always wanted. Funny how things turned out, huh?"

Kovu was silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, he said slowly, "So you were against mother all this time, and you never said anything?"

"It's not like that," she said softly. "I forgot who I was, after...after Kopa died. You and Nuka, and even mother...you were all I had left. I felt like I took the Pridelands away from you, and I wanted to give it back. You deserved better." She looked away. "Of course, I couldn't find the strength to stand up to mother either. She didn't push Kopa off that cliff, did she? I just did whatever she said...until I saw Kiara stand up to Simba, not through bitterness, but through love. That was my chance, and I decided to take it." _I just wish she had listened._

"And I'm very glad you did," said a third voice. "Otherwise, the rest of the Outlanders might never have joined us." Vitani and Kovu both turned in surprise to see Simba standing behind them.

"Your Majesty," she stammered, nervously slipping back into royal protocol. "How much have you heard?"

"Enough," he said simply. Then, he gently added, "What happened to Kopa wasn't your fault, Vitani."

She looked down. "Yes, it was."

"It was an accident. You were trying to protect him. The only one to blame is Zira."

It was easy enough to put the blame on her. But that didn't make things better. Vitani felt her throat tighten. "I miss him," was all she managed to whisper.

Simba slowly made his way next to her. "I miss him too. But as two friends of mine always used to say, Hakuna Matata. You should never forget Kopa, because I can see he was very important to you. But it's time you forgave yourself for what happened. And time for you to stop living alone. You have a brother who cares very much about you, someone you always looked out for but never got the chance to open up to in the Outlands. Well, you have that choice now." The king looked up at the stars scattered across the night sky. "And even when you're not with Kovu, you never will be on your own. I'm sure Kopa is somewhere up there, with the Great Kings of the Past."

"The Great Kings of the Past?" Vitani murmured.

"Yes. They're up there, looking down on you. So whenever you feel alone..."

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**Yes, I realize I've jumped on the Vitani+Kopa bandwagon. But I personally think it's an interesting match, since Vitani's character leaves a lot to be explored and we don't know what Kopa would be like as an adolescent at all. Again, don't worry about Vitani being mushy when she eventually meets him (don't lie, you all guessed it's going to happen, so it's not technically a spoiler); and if I make their relationship a mirror image of Kovu and Kiara's, feel free to ostracize, lynch, hang, crucify, or draw and quarter me however you see fit.**


	6. Shira Hollow

Kopa wondered if his luck was finally running out. The place he was making his way through was an absolute wasteland. He wasn't exhausted enough yet to feel the effects of hunger and dehydration, but he knew it would only be a matter of time before it would catch up to him. In the meantime, he would keep going and hope for a miracle.

But as the night went on and the sun began to peek over the eastern horizon, his strength began flagging faster than he could regain it. He tried not to give in to sleep lest he wake up completely drained, or not wake up at all. Not to mention the fact that he had no idea if there were any unfriendly creatures that lived in these Outlands. It didn't look like _anything _lived here, really, but he decided not to take that chance.

_Maybe I can still turn back._ Kopa looked over his shoulder and scrutinized the dry, barren landscape that was just about all the same dark brown as it disappeared into the distance. There was no sign of the grasslands he left behind, but at least he knew roughly how far away it would be and which direction it was in. Still, it was no short distance and he wasn't sure if he would be able to make it if he turned back now. _Besides, I have to make it to Mount Kilimanjaro in case Tumaini and Siri don't. _He didn't like the thought, but they had hardly parted under the best of circumstances.

He might as well have ended up in the desert for all the good it did him. There was no way he was going to find a way out of these Outlands. What had he gotten himself into—

There! His keen sense of smell, having picked up nothing except the arid dirt for hours, suddenly managed to pick up the scent of water. It was faint, yes. But it was leading him towards a short rise off to the north that he spotted earlier but assumed was a boulder or something. But as he drew closer to it, he saw that it was actually the entrance to a small tunnel that led underground.

Curious and more than a little hopeful, Kopa squeezed inside and immediately sensed the difference. Not only was it cooler down here, the air was actually moist here. There was definitely water nearby, and close too.

It didn't take him long to find the large, deep pool that encircled the cave that he found himself in. It was clean too, even though it was hard to see in the dark. He eagerly raced up to it and began drinking, feeling his strength return as the cool, refreshing liquid revitalized him. He didn't even stop to breathe, but just kept drinking.

"It looks like we have a trespasser, Banzai."

Kopa looked up to see three hyenas standing before the exit, blocking his way out. They didn't look too friendly.

"I don't like trespassers," the hyena named Banzai sneered. "Especially when they steal our water. What about you, Ed?"

The third hyena, his eyes unfocused and his tongue hanging loosely from his mouth, just laughed maniacally. Something about his laugh made Kopa rather uneasy.

"So, trespasser, know what we do to your kind?" asked the first hyena, the female.

Kopa stiffened. These hyenas obviously meant trouble. He backed away from the water, trying to alleviate the situation. "I didn't know it was yours. I didn't mean to intrude."

"He didn't know it was ours!" laughed Banzai. "Did you hear that, Shenzi? It was all a big mistake or something. So we should just let him go, right Ed?"

Ed cackled.

"You're right. Let's teach him a lesson instead."

The hyenas moved swiftly. But Kopa was ready. He smacked Ed in the face, knocking him headfirst into the cave wall. He ducked Shenzi's swipe and pushed her to the side, knocking her into the water. Banzai managed to jump onto him, but he countered by planting his footpaw on his abdomen, using the momentum to flip himself on top and pin the hyena without further struggle.

A shaft of light beamed down on the young lion, and Banzai gave a terrified scream when he saw his face. "Guys, let's scram! It's him! It's Mufasa!"

Ed had not gotten up, but was still lying dazed. Shenzi had pulled herself out of the water. "Can't be," she muttered. "Mufasa's dead..." She bared her teeth and prepared to attack again.

Another lion appeared at the exit and in two strides, leaped on her and kept her lying on her stomach. He knocked her out with a single swift blow.

Banzai realized what was about to happen to him as Kopa raised his paw. "Not the face, not the face...!" The clenched paw landed hard on the hyena's forehead, and he let out a small exhale as his head lolled to the side.

The other lion checked on Ed to make sure he was out for the count before turning to leave. He gestured for Kopa to follow him, and he squeezed into the tunnel without too much trouble.

The sun was now quite bright now, making a fair amount of progress over the horizon. Kopa winced slightly at how bright it was as his vision adjusted. He quickly spotted the other lion, who was waiting for him outside the entrance.

He was an adult who looked like he was just a bit older than Tumaini. His fur was a pale orange with a black mane. His eyes were a sharp red. He looked remarkably calm considering what had just happened. "I saw you enter the cave," the lion said. "Then I saw the hyenas sneak in after you. They didn't look like they were up to any good."

"Thanks for your help," Kopa said. He wondered what this stranger was doing all the way out here, but was more interested that he had someone who might be able to help him in his current situation.

"What are you doing all the way out here alone?" the lion asked.

"I'm trying to get to Mount Kilimanjaro. Except...I have no idea which way to go."

"I do. In fact, I can be your escort until you're out of these wastelands."

Kopa felt his hopes rise. Perhaps now things would turn out fine after all. "Thanks, I'd really appreciate that."

As he followed the other lion away from the underground cave and continued on across the Outlands, the stranger asked, "So what is your name?"

"I'm Kopa."

The other lion gave a thin smile. "Call me Fujo."

•••

"Kasi's dead?" said Jeraha grimly.

"I'm afraid so," said Kukesha. "I saw her body lying at the bottom of the fissure. I'm sorry I couldn't retrieve it, but I barely managed to make it across and back without falling in myself."

"At least the vultures won't have her," he growled. It shouldn't matter, but he hated losing any member of his pride. Especially considering what was in store next. "Kivuli should have already contacted Fujo by now. Which means he may be on his way here to find Malka." He had been hoping to find the elusive pride leader by now, but there was still no sign of any of him or his lions, even though everyone in Janga's pride was scattered over the Serengeti looking for them. And although Malka's trail had appeared to be the one that the lioness Siri had been following, Jeraha's party still had no luck finding any of them.

Of course, he doubted that they were completely out of luck. When Malka's pride had been forced to go separate ways after the attack on Mount Tempest, Janga's forces had caught and killed many of them already. No doubt the other parties had found more of them by now. Even if they didn't find Malka just yet, he wasn't going to be a threat as long as Janga rallied her search parties in time to attack Pride Rock. Divide and conquer, a strategy that had been made easier especially since Simba's pride didn't contact Malka very often anyway.

And when the time for that attack came, things would turn out in their favour no matter what happened. _So Kasi failed to silence that young lion,_ Jeraha thought, momentarily forgetting his vexation at his friend's death. _If he headed into the Outlands as Kukesha suspected, then Fujo might find him. And if that's the case, then our runaway won't be a problem for much longer..._

•••

Kopa had told Fujo what he was doing in the Outlands and why he was trying to get to Mount Kilimanjaro. By the time they reached the edge of the Outlands, he had finished explaining everything.

The older lion looked thoughtful. "Hm. So before you encountered Siri, you've never had any involvements with the other prides at all?"

"None."

"Alright then. Listen closely. If I told you I had a hand in this matter as well, would you believe me?"

Kopa was surprised by this statement. But so far he had no reason to distrust Fujo, and if there was an explanation as to what he was doing in the Outlands, it might be it. "Yes."

"Good, because it's not something to be taken lightly. Now, the direction I'm taking you is dangerous because many of Janga's hunters are there. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes," Kopa said again, without hesitation. Fujo smiled.

"You certainly aren't short on courage, Kopa. This is as far as I can accompany you, you're on your own from here. You have to promise me one thing. If you should ever get captured by anyone, especially Janga herself, do not tell them of our meeting."

An unexpected request, to be sure. But not really a surprising one. "Okay. Where are you going?"

"I can't tell you too much. What I'm doing has too much importance and I can't take the risk. But it's likely we will meet again, and if all goes well...you'll understand then."

Kopa nodded. He was still curious as to what Fujo was doing, but he was in a hurry, so with a quick word of thanks, he ran off across the fresh, abundant grasslands, his eyes fixed on the towering mountain looming in the distance.

Fujo watched as he headed for the mountain, still lost in thought. This meeting with Kopa was certainly unexpected; out of everyone to run into in the Outlands, it was one who knew about Janga's plan to take over Pride Rock. If he really had been confronted with Jeraha before, then things had just gotten more complicated. But it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

If Jeraha wanted Kopa dead, then Fujo had no intention of telling him that they had met. Janga would have no idea that her secret plan wasn't about to be secret anymore either, assuming the young lion reached Mount Kilimanjaro without getting caught.

Fujo set his sights on the expanse of the Outlands. He had delayed himself in bringing Kopa here, but it was a worthwhile delay. He turned back and dashed into the wastelands, where he would undoubtedly find Jeraha and his party resuming their search. _Time to have a few words with you, Jeraha. See if I can't throw you off Malka's trail for a little while longer._

•••

"Your pride lives here?" Tumaini said, looking up at the the mighty form of Kilimanjaro towering over them.

"It makes a good shelter," Siri said. "Hiding in plain sight, if you will."

"Now why would a pride of lions want to hide?"

"This isn't our actual home," she said defensively. "We lived in a smaller mountain. This is our fallback."

They began to climb up a ledge with some difficulty. Tumaini had to help her because her paws were still not fully healed. "Your pride really likes mountains," he said. "Or hiding."

"We have our reasons to hide. For one, most of the other prides don't like us very much."

"Is that right?" he said, giving her a paw up a second ledge and stopping to catch his breath. "Why would that be?"

"Well, for one, we broke tradition by allowing other males to live in the pride."

"That is odd...whew. How much higher?"

"We don't go any higher, actually." Siri led him down the ledge towards a rather large hole in the side of the Shira Summit. "Let's go in."

They entered the depths of the mountain, Tumaini still helping her partially (halfway to Kilimanjaro, she had insisted she could walk by herself). She took the lead now, walking a bit gingerly but otherwise seemed to be fine. Still, Tumaini was glad they had reached her home and that she would finally be able to rest out of danger.

He was surprised at the amount of concern he felt for the lioness, despite having met her for only two nights ago. It had been so long since he had anyone but Kopa for company that he had almost forgotten who he used to be. The kid had been the only thing keeping him sane when he had first found him, and it seemed he had gradually changed Tumaini over the years.

He wondered where Kopa was now. Not for the first time, Tumaini wondered if he really should have let him go off on his own like that. _He's a fast runner. No way he's going to be caught by that lioness._ Still, Tumaini couldn't help but worry, and couldn't believe how easily he had let Kopa go after looking out for him for most of his life. They had been in a tight situation at the time so there was no time to argue. Still, Tumaini wondered if he could have done it differently. _He hasn't seen much of the world, but he should be fine on his own. I hope._

It didn't make him feel any better. _What was I thinking? We should have stayed together, who knows where he is now, or if he's alive?_

"They're right through here," Siri said, pulling Tumaini out of his guilty thoughts. They had reached the end of the tunnel and entered a massive cavern. What he saw before him was so extraordinary that he even put aside his thoughts about Kopa for the time being.

It was gigantic, not just in length and width but height as well. The ceiling was so high up it was almost out of sight. There were fungi and other assorted plants growing all over the walls that emitted a bluish-white glow bright enough to illuminate most of the cavern. There were multiple levels, for long, sturdy ledges of stone protruded from the walls, and they weaved into wide stone bridges that spanned across the space above them in a complex web-like pattern. And there were over fifty lions and lionesses scattered throughout the entire cavern.

Siri noticed Tumaini's awestruck expression and grinned. When he found his tongue, he whispered, "I've never seen anything like it. It's...amazing."

"This is Shira Hollow," she said. "Most of it was already here when we found it. We just made a few improvements and decided to keep this place a secret...just in case."

"Your entire pride could just live here," he said, still looking around them in amazement.

"We could, but we don't like climbing the mountain every time we want to come back inside. Still, it makes a good place to hide when we need to."

"Siri!" a lioness ran over to them and nuzzled Siri. "I was hoping you escaped when you ran off!"

Siri looked very happy to see the lioness, who didn't look much older than her. "I thought those lions got you. I'm sorry, I wouldn't have left if I knew you were alive..."

"Don't worry about it, there's no way you could have known." The lioness looked at Tumaini. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Tumaini. He was the one who found me and brought me all the way here." She smiled. "He's the reason I'm alive."

"Well, if that's true, then I like you already. I'm Hamu. Siri is my best friend. Thank you for looking after her." Hamu gave him a warm smile, but her expression then became serious as she turned back to Siri. "So do you think you can explain what's going on with these attacks on our pride?"

Siri nodded. "Is Malka here?"

"Yes, and Fujo left a few nights ago to leave those lions a false trail. They probably think Malka is out in the grasslands right now."

"Right. Come on, Tumaini...Tumaini?"

Siri and Hamu turned around to see that Tumaini had not moved a single step, and was frozen with an expression of shock on his face. Siri padded over to him slowly. "Hey, you alright?"

He snapped out of his reverie, shaking his head quickly. "Yeah, sorry."

"Come on, then."

He followed them without another word, Hamu looking at him curiously before continuing to lead them deeper into Shira Hollow. They climbed a few ledges and were soon high off the ground, the cavern floor now indistinguishable save a vague blue glowing between the gaps between the interlocked stone bridges. Other lions lying on their ledges or walking past them stared at them briefly but no one stopped them or asked questions. Meanwhile, Tumaini's mind was racing. He had a million thoughts and questions running through his mind after he heard Siri say the name. _Malka. _Could it be the lion he was thinking of? The one he had never thought he would see or talk to again...

"Tumaini, what is it?" Siri asked quietly, as they followed Hamu up another level. They were almost at the top of Shira Hollow now, and Tumaini studied the vast ceiling above them with more interest than he actually had. He could still feel Siri's persistent gaze on him, and sighed. He didn't want to hide from her, especially not concerning the leader of her own pride.

"You said this was your pride's fallback," he said slowly.

"That's right," she replied slowly, not comprehending but giving a patient nod.

"You never mentioned it to me before, but where was your pride's original home?"

Now looking rather curious, Siri said, "It was also in a mountain range that separated the grasslands from the outskirts of the Pride Lands, and the Outlands beside it."

Tumaini's mind began to put the pieces together. _It can't be..._

"We live in the mountain that lies next to the only pass into the Pride Lands. It's called Mount Tempest."

"I knew it..." whispered Tumaini. Why hadn't he seen the signs sooner? He had a dozen opportunities to ask her before.

Hamu stopped when a gold-orange lion with a pitch-black mane stepped out of a crevice. He looked older now, more weathered, but Tumaini still recognized him easily.

"Siri, you're alive," the lion breathed.

Siri, who was still looking at Tumaini in confusion, turned to face her pride leader. "Yes, Malka. I'm sorry it took so long to get here, but I thought you were heading west. I guess Fujo's false trail was laid so well it managed to fool me."

"Well, I'm glad you're alright," Malka said.

"I wouldn't be if it wasn't for my friend Tumaini."

Malka froze. Siri didn't miss his reaction. In fact, his expression of shock was so similar to the one Tumaini had earlier that she looked from one lion to the other. There was definitely something between them; the spark of recognition in Malka's eyes confirmed it. And there was something underneath it, something she couldn't quite place...

"Hello, father," Tumaini said quietly.

"So you're alive too," Malka said. This time, there was no relief in his voice.

Siri was caught completely off guard. "Malka is your father?" she asked Tumaini.

"Yes," he replied, his eyes still on his father. They had the same orange eyes, she could see that now.

"Then where have you been all this time?" she persisted.

"On my own. Where I can't hurt anyone."

"What? Hurt anyone? On your own? Why?"

Malka answered this time. "Because years ago my son Tumaini had destroyed our family with his carelessness and ran away in shame."

"It was an accident," Tumaini whispered, looking away.

"An accident you caused because you had disobeyed me," the pride leader snarled. "And because you were a cruel, selfish—"

"I was young!" Tumaini snapped his head up. His eyes were full of tears but his face was twisted in fury. "You kept me in Mount Tempest night and day, and left me there so you could bicker with mother. We had enough, Afua and I—"

"Don't you say his name!" Malka roared. "Don't you say either of their names! Not after you as good as killed them both! Your mother died from grief, did you know that? Because you were so stupid and killed your own brother, and then never came back to answer for what you've done!"

Siri couldn't believe what she was hearing. In the time that she knew Tumaini, she never would have guessed that he was Malka's own son, no less someone who had caused death and fallout in their family. _Cruel? Selfish? That doesn't sound a thing like him..._

"After you ran off, I made everyone in the pride swear never to speak of what happened," Malka continued through gritted teeth. "I had no heirs left and I had to bring male lions into the pride so we would survive. I wasn't going to find another mate, not after Kumi died..."

"Don't act like you cared about her!" Tumaini shouted. "She was right, you always were a coward—"

Siri flinched as Malka leaped forward in one bound and pinned his son to the floor. Hamu made an odd movement as if she was going to pull him off, before she remembered it was her pride leader. "Leave," he growled. "Leave right now or I'll kill you on the spot. You're as good as dead to me anyway."

Tumaini got up, avoiding his father's eyes. His angry mask disappeared for a moment as he looked at Siri. "I'm sorry you had to see that. But it's all true...I just didn't want you to know. I didn't want anyone to know." He dashed off, leaping off several ledges with little regard to his safety.

"Tumaini, wait!" Siri cried, conflicted and overwhelmed with what she had just heard. But he didn't stop, and was soon lost in the darkness below.

•••

"Janga, everyone is ready," Kivuli said.

Janga, who was examining the birthmark on her paw, nodded absently. "Good. Very good."

Her friend noticed her leader's mood. "Is something on your mind?"

Janga rarely lied to or hid things from her pride, even the lions she wasn't as close to. "Jeraha should have been back by now. I don't know if I should be concerned with his prolonged absence."

"Fujo's picked up on Malka's trail in the grasslands," Kivuli said. "Even if they don't hunt him down, they'll keep him busy long enough from helping out Simba's pride."

_Not that Malka would stick his neck out for anyone, _Janga thought. "Very well. We'll proceed in the attack without Jeraha." She joined the fifteen lions and lionesses that were assembled outside Mount Tempest, the ones she had specifically paw-picked for this mission.

"I picked you because you are the best among the entire pride," she said loudly and clearly. "I know you will not fail me because you never have before. Your part in this assault will decide the outcome of our entire efforts, so listen closely. At sundown, I will lead you through the gorge that will allow us to reach Pride Rock undetected. After we ambush Simba and his best hunters, the rest of our pride will join us to fight off his. They will outnumber us, so do as you have been trained and don't gamble carelessly with your life. And above all, make sure you subdue but do not harm my mother. You all know what she looks like, and I will not forgive anyone that inflicts injury on her, intentional or not. Do you understand?"

The assembled team roared in unison, showing that they knew what had to be done, were ready to follow their leader into battle, and believed they would win.

Janga set her eyes on Pride Rock, which was the size of a speck from this distance. _Alright, Simba. You may be a better ruler than Scar ever was, but I'm going to show you who that title really belongs to._

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**For the sharper readers, you may notice that I've completely fabricated the family ties between Malka and Afua, both of whom are canon characters and there was no mentioned relationship between them. You may also know that Malka was one of Simba's friends from another pride when they were cubs, and likewise, Afua was Kopa's best friend when **_**they**_** were cubs. Things might seem weird now concerning the "accident", but keep reading and everything will be explained shortly…**

**Also, I hope you like the cameo I gave to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. I thought as key characters of the first **_**Lion King**_** film, they should have at least one appearance in my story to confirm that they weren't dead. I'm not sure if I'll include them in the sequels, but I do know they don't yet play a vital role. Still, keep your eyes peeled and you might see them again.**

* * *

**[Canon**** Character Names]  
**

**Shenzi:** Uncivilized**  
**

**Banzai:** Ten thousand years (Japanese)

**Ed:** Wealthy friend (Old English)

**Afua:** Forgiveness


	7. Intervention

Kopa knew he was close when he reached the massive gorge that supposedly divided the Pridelands from the outskirts and the grasslands beyond. Mount Kilimanjaro now loomed in the distance, quite large now but still very distant. _I have no idea how to find Shira Hollow from there,_ he thought. _Hopefully I'll meet someone that does. _Maybe someone from Siri's pride could even be outside. It wasn't a solid plan, but it was the best he had.

It seemed the earthquake had settled under the ground along most of the Outlands and resurfaced here. The cliff edges were cracked and looked unsafe to approach, and in the Pridelands on the other side, the fields were torn up and vacant of animals. In the distance, almost as far as Kilimanjaro, was a short cluster of tall rocks.

Something prodded at Kopa's subconscious when he spotted the rocks. The way they stacked together was fascinating. One long plate seemed to jut from the centre of it all and slant upwards, supported by a shorter rock beneath it. Could it be the place called Pride Rock that Siri mentioned? Some unknown part of him told him that it was.

Fascination wasn't the right word. It was something more like...allure, almost longing. But for what? What could be there that had never surfaced from his mind before but now at first glance stirred some great ache in his heart?

"Kopa!"

Kopa detached his gaze from Pride Rock towards the sound of someone calling his name. He recognized that voice...

He was not disappointed. Dashing towards him was Tumaini, looking a bit exhausted but otherwise unharmed. They had only been apart for little more than a day, but Kopa couldn't remember a time when hadn't been in the company of his closest friend for that long, and a number of emotions flooded through him, relief and joy being among them, but more strongly, a sense of safety and comfort a cub experiences after being lost and being found by their parent. It was a bit ridiculous, he thought, and doubted that Tumaini would think of him as his cub, but Kopa was too happy to see him at the moment to contain himself. And Tumaini clearly looked just as happy.

"Tumaini, you made it! I knew you would—but the earthquake—I was thinking—but I knew you'd be fine—"

"Whoa, slow down there," Tumaini laughed. There was a great note of relief in his voice too, but also something heavy in it too. Kopa had just begun to wonder what the matter was when he noticed something. And all his joy vanished.

"Where's Siri? Did something happen to her? Did—did _they _get her?"

"Hey, take it easy," Tumaini said. "Siri's fine. After the earthquake, those other lions never caught up to us. We never even saw them again."

"So where is she?"

"At Mount Kilimanjaro. Safe, with her pride."

"Why? Didn't anyone else come with you?"

"Kopa, I need you to stay calm," Tumaini said. "We're on our own. But there's no time to explain." He was looking down into the gorge below them.

Kopa followed his gaze and saw them. Fifteen, maybe sixteen lions silently moving through the pass in double file. They had been so quiet that he hadn't noticed them even though they must have been trekking through the gorge for a while now. And their route clearly ended at one particular place; a very short distance to Pride Rock.

•••

Siri knew that she was really pushing Malka's limits, especially after he had just revealed one of the darkest secrets of his life in front of the one he blamed for all his pain and no longer considered part of his family. But she had a debt to pay, and Tumaini had gone to further lengths to protect her. She couldn't let it go now.

"Malka, he saved my life," she pleaded, willing for him to see reason.

"And took that of his own mother, and my other son. It doesn't redeem him."

_But that's not it, don't you see? He'll never be redeemed until you offer it to him._ "He put himself in danger to bring me all the way back here."

"Because he didn't know I would be here," Malka growled.

"You're wrong," Siri said before she could stop herself. She cringed on the inside when her pride leader turned to look at her, also surprised at her boldness. "I'm sorry Malka, but I don't think you know him."

"I know my own son well enough!" he roared, his temper breaking. She flinched at the outburst but refused to back down.

_Then why do you only see the mistakes he's made in the past? And you ignore the good he's done?_ She held back the words, not wanting to rile him further. _It's not his fault. He lost his mate and son in an accident that never should have happened. I can't imagine what that's like._

Still, if Siri couldn't convince Malka to help, she would do the next best thing. Struggling to keep her voice level, she said evenly, "Okay. I guess I'm going to find Tumaini on my own."

This was the last thing Malka had expected. The rage in his voice changed and was now directed at her, although it sounded more like desperation, "No, you can't. You need to rest before you can walk—"

"I'll keep going until I have to crawl. When I can't do that, I'll push myself until I either find him or die trying."

"Don't talk like that. I chose you as my heir. I won't lose you too—to _him_," he hissed.

Siri took a deep breath and just said it. "You can't stop me. If I have to fight my way out, I'll make sure no one gets in my way. Not the others, not even you...I'll keep trying until I make it out, and again, I'll die if I have to."

Malka was lost for words. His mouth moved and he made a few unintelligible sounds, but his mind seemed unable to figure out how to sort out this situation. Finally, his expression softened, and he said quietly, "You see so much in him, Siri. Why?"

She gave a small smile. "When I was a lost adolescent, you took me in and gave me a home. You cared for me because I had no parents. And you picked me to be your heir even though there were other lionesses in your pride that were faster, or more experienced, or more suited to the idea of ruling. And although I was flattered, I always wondered the same question. What did you see in me?

"I think I know the answer to that now," she continued. "You lost so much in that one day that you needed someone to carry on for you. Someone who didn't know about the burdens you now have to bear for the rest of your life."

Malka looked down, his demeanour now melancholy. "It's not just that, Siri. You weren't a placeholder for an empty spot because you didn't know about Tumaini. I needed someone who was compassionate, kind, and able to gain the respect of the pride. That someone was you. You had it all without even trying. I knew you would be a good ruler because you reminded me of Kumi...before I turned her into the wretched lioness she died as. She didn't fall ill just because of what happened to Afua...it all became too much for her because I've been a poor king to her."

Siri could tell from the beginning that he had been shirking blame out of guilt, defensiveness, and a fear that he had been, at least, partially responsible all along. But hearing the ruler of Mount Tempest, the lion who was like a father to her, break down like that hurt her to see.

"You won't believe me, Siri," he said miserably, "but I've missed Tumaini for years. I was angry at first, but after a while I realized that my son would never have done what he did out of cruelty. When he appeared in my life again, it was so unexpected and I didn't know how to react. I was mostly angry because he ran out on me when I needed him to be here...and it just went from there." Malka lowered his voice. "But they're right. Tumaini, Kumi, everyone who called me a coward. Look at me. When those lions attacked us, I broke and ran at the first sign of trouble instead of taking a stand and fighting for my home. I made for the safety of Mount Kilimanjaro while most of my pride was being hunted down and killed. I got my own brother to lay a false trail for me so I would not be found. And now when I had the chance to reconcile with the only family I had left, I mess it up and pin all the blame on my son." He sighed. "There once was a time when I would pretend to be brave. I've never told you this before, but when I was a cub, I got lost and ended up in the care of the Pridelanders. I was friends with Simba, and I always tried to look brave in front of him—because that's what he was, and I wanted to be like him. If what you've told me about these lions planning to attack Pride Rock is true, then I'm not going to be a coward for once and I'm going to help Simba." Malka got to his paws, looking more like the king of the pride, and now with a newfound confidence. "You need to recover, Siri. But leave this to me. I know what to do now." He dashed away with an almighty roar that echoed throughout the entire cavern. Lions rushed out to answer his call and rallied to him as he made his way down to the bottom level. Siri, who had not said a word ever since Malka began his rambling confessions, watched him go with a silent reassurance that her pride leader would keep to his word.

•••

The lions in the gorge would follow the chasm in a wide perimeter around Pride Rock, but by the time they reached the end of the gorge, they would be close enough for an ambush if they were fast enough. And Kopa had the feeling that this was very much the case.

"Sixteen," Tumaini muttered, his eyes fixed on the lions as if he could slow them down with the intensity of his glare.

"Are you sure?" Kopa asked.

"I counted again to be sure. I'm guessing the lioness in the front is the one Siri called Janga."

"There have to be more than sixteen Pridelanders though."

"Oh, these aren't all the lions we have to worry about. There are probably a lot more of them hiding somewhere between here and Mount Temp—" He abruptly stopped himself.

"What?" asked Kopa.

"We can't wait around here talking, time is running out. Let's work out a plan."

That wasn't the reason, Kopa knew that, but he trusted him enough not to ask him questions for the time being. Besides, Tumaini was right. Janga and the lions weren't exactly creeping slowly through the gorge, and they would be nearing Pride Rock before nightfall. The thought wasn't very reassuring. _How are we supposed to stop all these lions on our own?_

When time was short, the mind tended to panic. And when Kopa panicked, he found it even more difficult to think properly. He hated the feeling. It made him want to do something, anything that wasn't just standing here and watching helplessly as a monstrous plan unfolded before him. Even if he had to rush into their midst and start attacking them blindly, it would at least be doing something—

No, he couldn't think like that. It would be a brief surprise and at most a minor annoyance to the team of lions, and he wouldn't be helping anyone at all. Not to mention that he'd be getting himself killed. _Come on, think, think—!_

"Nothing for it then," said Tumaini, cutting Kopa short of his frantic thoughts. "We'll have to make a dash for Pride Rock and hope we get there in time to warn them."

_Trust Tumaini to come up with the right idea at the right time._ They wouldn't be running away, since they would have to stand alongside the Pridelanders and fight it out with Janga's forces when they reached them. But there was just one problem. "Okay," Kopa said. "So how do we get across?"

Tumaini swept his eyes around the gorge as he realized just how difficult his idea would be to carry out. "We'll have to follow the cliffs to the end of the gorge. It'll lead us to Pride Rock anyway."

Kopa shook his head. "We'd be taking the long way around. Janga has to go by that way, but we don't. And that's the only advantage we've got right now. The only way we're going to beat them to Pride Rock is if we cut across instead."

"But how are we supposed to do it?" Tumaini asked, with a hint of frustration in his voice. The pressure was starting to set on him too.

"We...we'll follow the gorge for now. And if we see something—maybe somewhere the cliff sticks out a bit, we can make a running jump across the gorge."

_Sounds dangerous, _Tumaini thought. "Let's do it," he said.

The two lions broke into a dash, running alongside the cliff edge as they looked for a good spot where they might be able to make it across if they really tried. Kopa couldn't believe how insane his suggestion sounded, but they had both agreed to it and were in the process of doing it, so he decided not to voice the doubts that were now starting to creep into his mind.

_I can't believe I'm doing this,_ he thought. _Two nights ago I was just with Tumaini in the forest as usual, wondering what I would find in our travels. And now here I am, fighting off lions and risking my life for these Pridelanders I've never even met. What have I gotten himself into? _But the more reckless, adventurous part of him was delighted at the chance to be awakened for the first time in his life. Instead of just living and existing, he was doing something for someone else, understanding what it meant to have a definite purpose.

And besides, the feeling he had about Pride Rock was still there. Maybe if he went there and met the Pridelanders face to face, he would figure out what that feeling was.

Kopa came to a stop when he spotted it. A long outcropping of stone was protruding over the cliff, and it looked solid enough to support the weight of two lions. Tumaini looked it over and also nodded his approval.

"Okay, I'm going to test my weight on it first," Kopa said. "Just to be safe." _Safe. Ha, that's a good one._

"Be careful," Tumaini said. "Don't slip off or anything, because, you know, you'll be falling right on the heads of those lions down there, and that would really blow our cover."

The two friends shared a laugh at the dark joke, but there was no more time to talk. Tumaini moved into position, backing off enough for enough momentum as he prepared to make the jump. Kopa carefully stepped onto the outcrop, one paw at a time to make sure it didn't shift and send him tumbling off the cliff.

It hit him out of nowhere. He didn't know if it was the thought of falling or the precarious view presented below him. But as soon as he looked down, the chasm below was no longer dry, but was filled with rapid currents, swirling and frothing with white foam as it rushed by. And the air around him was no longer clear, but blanketed with a thick fog...

_"Kopa!" A male voice was calling his name, a very familiar voice. He didn't know who it was, just that he knew the owner of that voice somehow, and sounded very urgent..._

Kopa shook his head, trying to clear it. But the voice just echoed in his mind, shouting his name over and over. It was disorienting, and he felt himself being pulled back in...

_He could see her now. The lioness cub that frequented his dreams. She was crouched behind a tall, shadowy figure that loomed over him. Something about the sight of the shadow set his nerves on edge. It reached out for him..._

He jerked slightly, but the figure disappeared as he blinked agitatedly. He struggled to maintain his grasp on reality, but felt himself slipping away as it appeared again...

_"Kopa!" There it was again, the voice that seemed to fear for his life more than he himself did. But whoever it was still remained unseen._

_And then the lioness cub pushed him. Forgetting that he was facing the cliff, he felt as if he was falling back and off its edge instead. He heard laughter from the shadow, which echoed in his ears even as he fell away from them. Everything began to shake._

He didn't know if he was imagining the shaking or if the ground itself was breaking apart beneath his paws...

"Kopa!"

He felt himself being pulled back sharply, and snapped back to reality just in time to feel himself flip over and land face-down on the rocky ground. He got up quickly enough though, when he heard the rumbling.

For a moment, Kopa thought that there was going to be another earthquake. But then his mind registered that it was Tumaini who had pulled him off the outcrop, and it was plain to see why.

The slab of rock had completely snapped off, but not before creating a long crack in either direction of the cliff edge. The cracks worked its way along its length, and a chain reaction ensued as more chunks of stone and dirt broke away from the cliff face and crashed down into the gorge below.

The rumbling built up into a roar as the sounds of the rockslide echoed up from the abyss. Dust rose into the sky as the tumult continued relentlessly, and barely audible above all the racket were the roars and screams of the lions trying to escape the deadly projectiles raining down on them, threatening to bury them or just kill them on impact.

Kopa was too dumbstruck to realize that he had unwittingly succeeded in stopping Janga and her hunters in their tracks. _How did I do this? A single rock breaking off the cliff shouldn't have caused all this..._

And then he remembered. _The earthquake. _It must have weakened the cliff edge. All it needed to set off the rockslide was to create a crack in the right spot...

Silence began to set in now as the worst of it passed and all that was heard was the occasional small stone skidding down what was left of the cliff face. There was no sound of paws frantically scrambling away, not so much as a whimper of pain or shock. Just an awful, eerie silence.

Tumaini was completely petrified, staring into the thick clouds of dust. He didn't look like the lion who had acted in the nick of time a moment ago and pulled Kopa away from joining the lions below in their ghastly fate. The expression on his face went beyond pity and bordered on anguish.

"So Janga was heading to Pride Rock from the gorge?" came a voice from behind them.

Kopa saw a male lion approaching them with an entire score of lions and lionesses behind them. The first thing he noticed was that this newcomer's eyes were the exact same shade of orange as Tumaini's. And the shape—there was a definite similarity there too.

Tumaini snapped out of his reverie at the sound of the voice, and backed away, looking horrified. "Father, no—I didn't do it this time—I..."

The older lion's expression softened and he moved to embrace his son. "It's okay, Tumaini. It's over now. I...I want to have a word with you when we get back to Shira Hollow."

Kopa had the odd thought that Tumaini suddenly looked very young with his face buried in his father's mane and a paw around his shoulders. Like a cub being comforted by a parent after having a bad dream...

_Now how would you know what that was like? You have no recollection of your parents. _But he remembered the voice that called his name—not Tumaini's before he pulled him to safety, but the one belonging to someone he had no mental image of.

"So what is your name, young lion?" Tumaini's father asked.

"Kopa."

"Well, Kopa, you've saved us a lot of bloodshed. Hopefully with the leader of this entire incident dead, everything will be alright again. I'm Malka, king of Mount Tempest, and I am indeed Tumaini's father." Malka released his son, and turned to address everyone. "Let's head back, everyone. Our new friend has a lot to tell us, and I think he needs some rest too."

_So, Tumaini has a father._ There would be questions asked, and a lot of explaining to do on Tumaini's part. But that would come later. As Kopa followed Malka and the other lions away from the wrecked gorge, he gazed momentarily at the spot where the outcropping rock had been, where he heard the voice calling his name. He wondered if it belonged to someone real, if he was alive—and if Kopa would ever find him.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**I'm sorry, but the time has not yet come for Kopa to be reunited with his family. I know I probably got a lot of your hopes up, and I apologize again if you're disappointed with how close he was to reaching Pride Rock. But hey, that's what sequels are for, so thanks for sticking with me and I hope you're interested in what comes next. Well, we're not quite done here yet, so please proceed to the epilogue for the conclusion of book 1.**


	8. Epilogue

The dust clouds could be seen rising into the sky all the way from Pride Rock. It was far too colossal to be the cause of a stampede, and they could hear the rumbling all the way from the caves. It took a few days for the dust to settle down.

Simba had forbidden anyone, even Zazu, to go near the gorge until the air in the surrounding area was breathable. When he finally allowed a group of lions to go check the site for signs of what caused the rockslide, he decided to go with them. He was also very particular on the ones he ordered to stay at Pride Rock, most notably Kiara, who, despite her recent accident, insisted she was able to go. Simba told Kovu to make sure she didn't slip off, and for good measure, assigned Vitani and Sarafina to keep an eye on the both of them.

It was a small group that headed to the gorge. But there was much to discuss now that they were out of earshot from the rest of the pride.

"Do you think it was another earthquake?" asked Kula.

"I'm sure we would have felt something if that was the case," said Sarabi. "No, whatever caused the rockslide most likely didn't happen on its own. So if anyone saw what happened, or if someone was caught in the gorge and survived..."

"I wouldn't want to see what condition that creature would be in," said Tama with a shudder.

"We've got one survivor here from the last rockslide," said Nala, pointing out the only other male lion in the group apart from Simba.

It didn't take them long to reach the cliff, and Simba called a stop, making sure no one got too close to the edge. After a moment where everyone looked around carefully, he asked, "What do you think, Afua?"

Afua, the young male lion, frowned. "There's still a bit of dust in the air, and I can't see much down there. We'll have to go into the gorge itself to check for survivors."

Simba nodded and asked Nala and Sarabi to accompany him down the gorge, and told everyone else to spread out and look for signs of what started the rockslide. Afua watched them make their way down the abyss before looking over the entire mess. He couldn't help but think of his brother and the accident that had occurred so many years ago. _Tumaini, were you the reason for this as well?_

It was an unlikely possibility, but nonetheless one that gave Afua a funny feeling. Like whatever had occurred here was the beginning of something.

Down in the gorge, Simba cautiously led his mother and his mate down into the rubble before they spread out into three different areas. The air was still the dustiest here, so they couldn't stay too long. But they didn't need to. They hadn't made their way very far before Nala called them over to where she was.

It was a terrible sight. Three dead lions were lying, half-buried in the rocks, dried blood smeared over countless wounds and what was visible of their carcasses bent in unnatural angles. One of them had his sightless eyes still open, and the expression on his face was one of pure terror.

"There might be more of them," Nala said softly, looking down at the dead lions.

"I'll call the others to start digging," said Simba, turning to leave.

"Simba, wait," Sarabi called from her spot, her voice uncharacteristically urgent. He stopped and carefully walked to where she was instead.

"Not all of them are dead," his mother said, pointing at a bloody pawmark on one of the stones. "There's at least one of them that's alive."

"I'll send someone to find the survivor." He turned to head back up but was interrupted again by her.

"There's more. Look." Sarabi pointed at the pawmark, which upon closer examination had a fang-shaped outline near the centre, and a few locks of black fur smeared in the crimson. Perplexed, Simba gave her a questioning glance.

"I recognize that tuft of fur," she explained. "And there's only one lioness I know with that fang birthmark. Janga."

"It can't be," Nala whispered, walking over to look at the pawmark too.

Feeling like he was missing out on something important, Simba asked, "Who's Janga?"

Sarabi gave a sigh of resignation as she stared at the pawmark. "Janga was born while Scar was king over the Pridelands. She was his daughter...and mine." She looked up to meet her son's shocked eyes. "Simba, you have a sister."

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**Well, that's the end of book 1. I hope you've enjoyed reading it and will be interested in reading the sequels to come, because Kopa's story is far from finished. This wasn't a long story in itself, but like I said, its purpose is to establish the characters and events for what happens next, so I didn't want to drag it out by adding filler. Again, feedback would be appreciated and will probably motivate me to finishing the sequel more quickly. For any other authors reading this, you know what I mean when I say I hate the idea of putting in a bunch of effort and feeling like it was for nothing. So please, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts (and reading your stories, if you have any to show to me) however unpleasant they may be. Thoughts, that is. I'm not saying anyone's written unpleasant stories. Anyway, I know some of you probably hate me for bringing Kopa so close to Pride Rock and then taking him away, so whether you have praise or condemnation for me, leave them in the reviews section.**

**P.S. Drop me a message for whatever reason if you feel like it. I'm always interested in making new friends on this site.**

**P.P.S. If you go onto the next "chapter", you'll find a blooper reel that I wrote for fun. If you thought this story was too lacking in humour, go ahead and check it out for some laughs.  
**


	9. Bloopers and Outtakes

**[Blooper Reel]  
**

**Sleep deprivation is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Why else would I suddenly jump out of bed at 2:30 in the morning and get the idea to write out a bunch of bloopers that didn't really happen in the story?**

* * *

"Prologue" Scene 2, Take 1

Janga, who was absently staring at the fang-shaped birthmark on her right paw, suddenly caught Kivuli's gaze and asked, "How many of our patrol have not yet returned?"

"That's a very good question," said Kivuli, turning to the grassy field. "Hey, Siri! Where the hell is everybody?"

"I have no idea," Siri called back, standing up from the spot where she was hiding. "I was just wondering if there was supposed to be more lions on the set right now."

"Cut!" yelled Incarnate Firefly, stepping onto the set. "Just get this scene done, can't you? We don't need the extras right now anyway."

"Sorry to disagree, director, but I think I'd look pretty stupid chasing Siri without anyone to back me up," said Jeraha.

Just then, Kopa stepped onto the set with all of Janga's lions. He stopped when he saw the crew and cameras placed around Mount Tempest. "Oh, are we shooting already?"

Incarnate facepalmed. "We were scheduled to start an hour ago. I couldn't find the extras so I started without them. Where have you all been, anyway?"

"Oh, we were hanging out with Asante's cast," said Kopa. "Those guys get so much more laughs than we do in their scenes."

"Yeah, yeah, that's great," Incarnate muttered. "Now get off the damn set and let the others take their positions."

•

"Prologue" Scene 2, Take 2

"What do you have in mind?" Janga asked.

"Fujo," Kivuli said. Janga grinned.

"Alright. Go."

Everyone looked abruptly to the field as there was the sound of running, followed by a painful _smack_ and two simultaneous "Oof!"s. The grass rustled as Siri and Wivu stepped into view, both rubbing their heads.

"Sorry," said Wivu. "The director told me to just run onto the set, and I bumped into her."

Both lionesses turned to glare at Incarnate, who shrugged. "What do you want from me, an ice pack? Get back into your positions!"

•

"Kopa" Scene 1, Take 1

Nuka grabbed Simba's hind leg. A moment later, the log beneath Nuka's paw gave way, sending him tumbling away from Simba while a second log rolled down the dam and crushed him.

"No!" shouted Zira as Simba climbed out of the gorge.

Kovu leaped down started pulling apart the logs. Zira ran forward and pushed him aside, and she pulled away the logs to reveal Nuka, who was for some reason shaking.

"Nuka," whispered Zira, thinking that the shaking was improvised.

And then Nuka burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry...mother..." he gasped, between his hysterics. "I tried..."

"Sure you did," Zira scoffed, slapping him in the face. "What is so funny?"

"...I tried not to laugh," said Nuka when he managed to control himself somewhat. "But this log is poking me right in the side, and it tickles..." He moved, and it caused him to start giggling again.

Incarnate groaned. "Cut! Nuka, do you know how much it costs to drop these logs on you? They're all broken now and I have to get another set! Now stop laughing before I decide to really make you die a horrible death!"

•

"Kopa" Scene 1, Take 2

"Scar...watch over my poor Nuka," Zira murmured. Then she turned to face Kovu and her expression became angry. "You!" she roared. In a single bound, she was next to Kovu, and clawed him across the face.

"Agh!" Kovu's head jerked to the side, and he stumbled. He raised one paw to his face, and blinked erratically. "Got me right in the eye..."

"Oops," said Zira apologetically, stepping forward. "Are you alright?"

Kovu rubbed his eye. "Yeah, I'm fine. Anyone got some Visine though?"

•

"Kopa" Scene 2, Take 1

Simba walked up the length of Pride Rock's peak. "Follow me," he said.

Vitani hesitated. "But Your Maj—Simba, I'm not allowed up there. Only the king and his—"

"It's alright," Simba insisted gently. "Come on."

Slowly, Vitani stood and followed.

"Let me tell you something my father told me when I was a cub," said Simba. "Everything you see—"

"Belongs to someone else!" said Vitani suddenly.

Simba blinked in confusion. "What?" Then he got the joke. "Oh, you had to go there..."

Vitani laughed. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Vitani, I'm not paying you to make The Lion King 1½ references," shouted Incarnate. "Now take this seriously, you're supposed to angst right now!"

"But all I do in this story is angst," she complained. "Seriously, you've cut my tough personality so much I'm getting out of character!"

Incarnate rolled his eyes. "Oh, and I suppose cracking jokes is so in-character. Now stop messing around and redo the scene!"

•

"Kopa" Scene 3, Take 1

Tumaini spotted Kopa sitting at the edge of the river, and silently sneaked up on him. He raised his paws when he was close enough to push him in.

Kopa didn't move, his paws still in the water. Tumaini stopped, posed rather awkwardly with his paws still poised to push Kopa in. A few more seconds passed and he began to lose patience. "Um...Kopa?"

Kopa turned around and jumped. "Oh, sorry! Was that my cue?"

"Yes," Tumaini said exasperatedly, lowering his paws.

"Yeah, I honestly didn't hear you coming," said Kopa. The two just stared at each other, unsure of what to do now.

Then Kopa suddenly pushed Tumaini into the water. Turning to Incarnate, he grinned. "Can we still count that as the scene?"

Incarnate couldn't help but laugh. "I wish."

Tumaini emerged from beneath the water, spluttering. "Thanks a lot," he said, dripping wet. As soon as he climbed out of the river, he pushed Kopa in as well.

"Aw, did you have to?" Incarnate said, although he was still smiling. "Now we have to wait for him to dry off before we reshoot."

Tumaini shrugged. "I have to as well, anyway."

"Good point."

•

"Kopa" Scene 3, Take 2

Kopa picked up one of the dead fish by the tail and offered it to Tumaini.

Tumaini took it, looking a bit distasteful. "What did you do to its face?"

"I crushed its skull after I pulled it out of the water."

Tumaini pulled a face and turned to look off-set. "No, seriously, do I have to eat this? It looks disgusting."

"You're a lion, Tumaini," said Incarnate.

Tumaini looked rather offended. "Oh, so just because I'm a lion means you can feed me whatever you want? That's discrimination."

Incarnate rolled his eyes. "What would you prefer, steamed lobster with a side of roast potatoes and a glass of red wine? Come on, just take the fish, it's not going to kill you."

•

"Vitani" Scene 4, Take 1

"And...then what happened?" Tumaini asked.

"I saw a lot of lions gathered around our pride's home, and I...I could smell blood. They must have killed someone, but...I don't know who. I heard one of them...talking about how the others escaped and...and...and I've forgotten the rest of my line." Siri turned to look off-set. "Can I see the script?"

"For crying out loud, Siri, we've rehearsed this a hundred times," grumbled Incarnate, walking up to her and handing her the script.

•

"Vitani" Scene 4, Take 2

"I also heard these lions were attacking because of a plan Simba's pride that they made—I have no idea what I'm saying," Siri said. "I messed up, didn't I?"

•

"Vitani" Scene 4, Take 3

"I also heard these lions were planning to make an attack on Simba. I knew I had to get to him, to warn him. That's when...this lioness joins them and says..." Siri looked down and became silent. Then she sighed. "I forgot the rest of my line again."

•

"Vitani" Scene 4, Take 4

"I heard one of them talking about how the others escaped and might be heading for Simba's pride and were planning to make an attack on Simba and I knew I had to get to him and this lioness joins them and oh my God, why does this line have to be so long," said Siri, standing up. "Incarnate, I'm going to eat you."

•

"Vitani" Scene 5, Take 1

The lionesses began to regroup as a rumbling filled the air, looking around apprehensively. Kiara quickly moved to join them, and had almost the group when a crack appeared beneath Nala's paws and sent her tumbling out of sight. She swore. "Oh, sh—!"

There was a very long pause. "I take it that wasn't supposed to happen?" Kiara asked at last. The other lionesses burst out laughing.

•

"Recollection in the Abyss" Scene 1, Take 1

"Hey Kovu, wanna fight?" Vitani said. The two cubs got into their fighting stances.

Zira turned furiously to Nuka. "You were supposed to be _walking him!_"

Nuka cringed and shrunk back, but then he realized what she said. "Watching," he corrected.

"What?" Zira asked.

"The word is 'watching'."

"Oh, did I read the script wrong?" said Zira, embarrassed.

"That's your son, not a puppy," Nuka said cheekily. They both started laughing, as did Vitani, although Kovu didn't look very amused.

"Zira, you've already done this scene before," Incarnate complained from off-set.

She waved at him dismissively. "That was way back in 1998. Give me a break, alright?"

•

"Recollection in the Abyss" Scene 1, Take 2

"What have I told you about _them_?!" Zira shouted.

"I'm sorry, mother!" Kovu cried. "She...she didn't seem so bad, even if she tried to hit on me when she told me her name..."

Zira was taken aback. "Kovu, you're a cub! How'd you know about hitting on people?" And then she started laughing. "I'm sorry, that was terrible improvisation on my part. Kovu, could you stick with your lines so I don't have to say something stupid?"

•

"Recollection in the Abyss" Scene 2, Take 1

Kopa, who was fighting one of Jeraha's lions, ducked down low and swept the attacking lion's paws out from under him, causing him to fall. Tumaini tried to slide Siri onto his back, but his manoeuvre was off, and he only managed to lose his balance and fall to the ground in a heap with Siri lying on top of him.

"Ow," they both said at the same time. Everyone on set started laughing, although Jeraha hurried over to help them to their feet.

•

"Recollection in the Abyss" Scene 2, Take 2

Tumaini slid Siri onto his back. Jeraha raised a paw to attack them both. Kopa ran towards him and was about to leap onto his back, when he tripped over a rock and collided with Jeraha.

Both lions went flying, with Kopa knocking into Tumaini, and Jeraha bowling straight through a line of lions. Several lions were thrown off-set and collided with a dozen camera tripods, boom stands, and other expensive-looking equipment. Some of it fell over, and others were crushed outright by the weight of the lions.

"Oh, no," moaned Incarnate, surveying the wreckage with dismay. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no..."

•

"Vitani's Secret" Scene 1, Take 1

"Mother, what are you talking about?" Vitani asked.

Zira smiled unpleasantly as she leered at Kopa. "You shouldn't wander to places like these, you know. Where no one can see you. The river current is so brutal after the storm, and it's so foggy out, it's like fate has chosen for me to kill you today...ugh." She ran one paw down her face. "That was probably the worst ad-libbing I've done in my entire career."

"Very morbid," agreed Incarnate. "Even by my standards."

"'Fate has chosen for me to kill you today'," repeated adult Kopa from off-set. "That would definitely get this story an M-rating if anything."

"I don't _want_ this story to get an M-rating," said Incarnate pointedly. "Because, you know, the default search results show only K to T stories, so I'd lose a lot of viewers. Let's try this again."

•

"Vitani's Secret" Scene 1, Take 3

Vitani dashed forward and stabbed Zira's foot with her claws. Her mother roared in pain. Vitani pushed Kopa hard, sending him flying back.

Kopa didn't quite make it to the cliff edge, and just fell onto his back. Zira just stood there, unsure of what to do now.

"Come on, Tani," said Kopa, standing up again. "You push like a girl."

Vitani scowled at him. "Just for that, I'm going to push you so hard on the next take, you're going to _scream_ like a girl."

"Now that I'd like to see," said Zira with a smirk. The three lions all started laughing.

•

"Vitani's Secret" Scene 3, Take 1

"It's over, Simba!" Zira called when the king and his forces finally reached them. "I have dreamed of nothing else for years..."

"Boy, does she need a hobby," remarked Timon.

Simba groaned. "Timon, you weren't supposed to say that line this time."

"Oh," said Timon. "Then why am I even here?"

"I was just wondering that myself," said Incarnate. "Timon, Pumbaa, get off my set."

"But—but the kids love us so much—" Pumbaa protested.

"Off. _Now._"

"Even us classic characters don't get no appreciation no more," Timon muttered as Pumbaa walked off the set with him. "Shows how much people know about entertainment these days."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 1

Banzai jumped onto Kopa, who countered by planting his footpaw on his abdomen, using the momentum to flip himself on top and pin the hyena.

Banzai screamed when he could see Kopa's face clearly. "Guys, let's scram! It's him! It's Simba!" He frowned. "No, not Simba..."

"Mufasa," reminded Incarnate.

"Oh, right. Thanks."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 2

Banzai screamed. "Guys, let's scram! It's him! It's...it's...what's-his-face..."

"_Mufasa,_" said Incarnate, sounding a little annoyed now.

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 3

"Guys, it's him! It's Musafa...fasi...Mu—Musi—"

Incarnate placed one hand to his temple and groaned. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 4

Banzai screamed. "Guys, let's scram! It's him! It's—Ahadi!"

"What, so you know Ahadi, but you don't know Mufasa?" Incarnate yelled indignantly.

"Hey, it's been eighteen years since I've done this," Banzai said defensively. "Besides, I like reading the children's books and Ahadi is my favourite character..."

"Look, here's a list of how much I care," said Incarnate, holding up an invisible sheet of paper. "Now shut up and get back into position."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 5

"What are you doing all the way out here alone?" Fujo asked.

"I'm trying to get to Mount Kilamawhatsit," said Kopa. He cleared his throat. "Let's try that again."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 6

"I'm trying to get to Mount Kilimanjoey...dammit, Banzai!" Kopa shouted at Banzai, who was laughing at him from inside the cave behind him. "I blame you...that's right, you confused me when you kept calling me all those names."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 1, Take 7

"I'm trying to get to Mount Kilijanmoro...I'm trying to get to Mount Kijiman...Mount Kiljamo...blegh...I'm trying to get this word down, but I can't speak this African stuff..."

"I feel you," said Simba from off-set. "It took me weeks to learn how to say 'Hakuna Matata'."

"That was Matthew Broderick," Incarnate reminded him.

"Oh, right."

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 4, Take 1

"I've never seen anything like it," Tumaini whispered. "It's...amazing."

"This is Siri Hollow," said Siri. Then she giggled. "'Siri Hollow'? Did I really say 'Siri Hollow'?"

"Vanity, thy name is Siri," said Tumaini, his expression immediately becoming amused. "Show me inside, O Great Siri the Immaculate. I don't suppose there's a shrine devoted to you as well?"

Siri shoved him, roaring with laughter. "Oh, stop it, you!"

•

"Shira Hollow", Scene 4, Take 2

"It's...amazing," Tumaini whispered.

"This is Shire Hol—no, not the Shire...ugh." Siri shook her head, exasperated. "I knew I shouldn't have done a Lord of the Rings marathon with Mheetu last night..."

"The Shire, you say?" Tumaini said. "I must say it looked a lot more...inhabited last time. So when are we to journey into Mordor? I know that one does not simply walk there, but we must persevere nonetheless..."

"Tumaini," Siri giggled. "I'm trying to do this scene seriously, but you're making it very hard for me."

"Hey, you're the one that keeps screwing up," he said defensively. "I'm delivering my lines just fine."

Malka ran up to them. "I've been standing around for twenty minutes now, can you two do this right already?"

But Tumaini wasn't done quite yet. "Are they taking the Hobbits to Isengard?"

"What?" said Malka, confused.

"Don't ask," Siri said, still smiling.

•

"Intervention", Scene 3, Take 1

"Okay, I'm going to test my weight on it first," Kopa said. "Just to be safe."

"Be careful," Tumaini said. "Don't slip off or anything, because, you know, you'll be falling right on the heads of those lions down there, and that would really blow our cover."

Kopa paused. "Was that actually in the script?"

"No," Tumaini admitted. "I was supposed to sound much more concerned, but it was boring, so I improvised." He turned to look off-set. "Hey, can we keep that line? I actually really like it."

Incarnate sighed. "Fine. But don't call my writing boring again."

"I'm doing you a favour, you know. Your script needs more laughs."

"Okay, okay, I get the point. Now do the scene already."

•

"Intervention", Scene 3, Take 2

Kopa stepped onto the outcrop, testing his weight on it. He stood there for over thirty seconds, waiting. When nothing happened, he looked around. "Um, cue the massive rockslide, please? Sometime this century would be nice."

"Sorry, we're having difficulties," called a technician from off-set. "Just give us a few minutes, we'll have it fixed as soon as—"

There was a muffled explosion, followed by a shower of massive rocks crumbling from the cliff walls and down into the gorge. Caught by surprise, Kopa lost his footing and fell down the tall cliff.

"I got him! I got him!" Janga shouted, as she and her lions ran out under him holding a large mattress. He landed on it with a _thump_, knocking the wind out of the half dozen lions that had caught him.

Kopa groaned as he stood up, rubbing his back. "Director, how low-budget is this story?" he yelled.

"Cut me some slack, it's my first Lion King story," Incarnate called down from the top of the gorge. "I got virtually no funding for this. But trust me, once we put it out, it's going to sell and we're all going to be loaded. In the meantime, just bear with me."

"I'll try to live long enough," Kopa muttered. "If your special effects don't kill me first."

•

"Epilogue", Scene 1, Take 1

"Who's Janga?" Simba asked.

Sarabi sighed as she stared at the pawmark. "Janga was born while Scar was king over the Pridelands. She was his daughter...and mine." She looked up to meet Simba's gaze. "Simba, you have a sister."

Simba thought about this for a moment. "Is she adopted?" he said after a moment.

Nala, Afua, Kula, Tama, and the others burst out laughing. Sarabi tried to look serious, but she was smiling too. "I just said I had her with Scar."

"Just checking, " said Simba. "In case the director wrote her to be secretly in love with me or something later on."

"That'd be pretty twisted," said Sarabi. "But then again, Kovu and Kiara almost ended up as cousins, so..."

"Hey, that was Disney's idea, not mine," said Incarnate. "My scripts aren't _that_ twisted. And what are you two still going on about anyway? That's a wrap, you don't have to make jokes about my writing while I'm right here. Now get off the set, I'll send you your paychecks next week. And don't go spending it on any vacations or anything, because I'll be calling you back for the sequel in September."

Kopa was lounging at a nearby table and drinking a cup of coffee. "So what do we do now?"

"Let's go catch a movie," said Afua. "Who wants to see The Dark Knight Rises?" Everyone's paws shot up.

"Are you paying?" Kopa asked.

"You can't pay for yourself?" Afua said in disbelief.

"Hey, this is my first acting job," Kopa said. "I'm kinda broke until next week. But you got hired for Shembre's story last month, didn't you?"

"I played a supporting character," sighed Afua. "But fine. You have to pay me back once the director signs our checks though."

The cast walked out of the studio, all talking among themselves. Incarnate let out a long breath as he slumped back in the director's chair.

"I can't believe I'll have to make four more of these," he grumbled.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**I guess the reason I wrote these was because I just feel a bit unsatisfied at the lack of humour in this story, and I need to compensate for that in some way. I hope these are amusing to you, and you don't feel like there's something wrong with me. If you do, that's fine too if this still made you laugh. I dunno, tell me if you liked these. If you did, I can write blooper reels for the sequels as well. If not, I'll just accept the fact that I'm not funny and you can read something else that is.  
**


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